DA: Jiba must be removed

Johannesburg - The DA on Monday called on Justice Minister Michael Masutha to make the necessary recommendations to remove deputy NPA head Nomgcobo Jiba from office.

"Jiba has enjoyed a chequered career in the NPA, and has only herself to blame," Democratic Alliance MP Glynnis Breytenbach said in a statement.

"From being a career prosecutor with a fairly solid reputation, she has chosen to throw it all away in pursuit of quick and easy promotion and access to power in exchange for political favours for a corrupt president."

Breytenbach, a former National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) prosecutor, said Jiba had destroyed her and the NPA's credibility.

NDPP gets tongue-lashing from SCA

The office of the national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) received an unprecedented tongue-lashing in the Zuma "spy tapes" order handed down by the Supreme Court of Appeal on Thursday.

The SCA said it recently, in another matter, criticised the NDPP's office for being "less than candid and forthcoming".

In its ruling it said: "In the present case, the then [acting] NDPP Ms Jiba provided an 'opposing' affidavit in generalised, hearsay, and almost meaningless terms.

"Affidavits from people who had first-hand knowledge of the relevant facts were conspicuously absent.

"Furthermore, it is to be decried that an important constitutional institution such as the office of the NDPP is loath to take an independent view about confidentiality, or otherwise, of documents and other materials within its possession, particularly in the face of an order of this court."

The SCA ended its ruling by saying: "This conduct is not worthy of the office of the NDPP. Such conduct undermines the esteem in which the office of the NDPP ought to be held by the citizenry of this country."

Breytenbach: Jiba not fit to hold office

Earlier this month it was reported that Jiba had failed to submit copies of her qualifications, raising doubts she might not be an admitted advocate.

Jiba reportedly failed to supply the required documentation for three months.

According to her CV on the NPA's website she was an admitted advocate of the high court. However, it did not indicate in which year she was admitted as an advocate.

Breytenbach said Jiba was not fit to hold the office she occupied and was not fit to be a prosecutor.

"As such she must be removed, and the sooner the better."