Idac head Andrea Johnson resigns, asks to vacate office within 24-hours

Advocate Andrea Johnson, the head of the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), has resigned and asked to be allowed to vacate her office within 24 hours.

Johnson submitted her letter of resignation to the national director of public prosecutions (NDPP), adv Andy Mothibi, as well as President Cyril Ramaphosa, who appointed her to the role.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed that Mothibi had received Johnson’s resignation letter. “The NDPP has received the letter and he is processing it.”

In her letter, Johnson said she had endured unprecedented attacks in her personal and professional capacity over the past five months. The attacks, she said, had brought an extreme amount of negative attention not just to her, but to Idac as well as the NPA.

“Much of the attacks revolve and arise out of the cases Idac has conducted against officials of crime intelligence. I am currently testifying at the [Madlanga] commission and again, the issues there are in the main about the above.

“This in itself, let alone the attacks on me, does not sit well with me. I have given 30 years of service to an organisation I love dearly. I cannot be the reason that there is so much negative attention and reputational risk to Idac and the NPA.”

Johnson said the allegations against her had still to be proven. However, that would again require the setting up of a commission, a process she said was both costly and time-consuming.

I have given 30 years of service to an organisation I love dearly. I cannot be the reason that there is so much negative attention and reputational risk to Idac and the NPA.

“The outcome of a commission into my fitness to hold office can go either way, as we have seen with the (Andrew) Chauke matter. That hearing also placed the NPA under scrutiny, cost a substantial amount of money and he has now returned to work.”

Chauke, the South Gauteng director of public prosecutions, was suspended last year after former NDPP Shamila Batohi accused him of making politically motivated prosecutorial decisions.

He was recently cleared following an inquiry.

According to Johnson, she has already put in for retirement as she is turning 56 next month.

“Your Excellency (Ramaphosa) and NDPP, I am humbly requesting you to consider my application for resignation. Whilst my contract requires a three-month notice period, I would request both your considerations of an immediate release from office, thereby waiving the notice period.

“This in effect would mean that, by agreement, I vacate my office within 24 hours,” she wrote.

Johnson admitted that while her resignation may be challenged, she said the NPA had previously released the DPP of KZN, after she was on suspension for almost 18 months, the day she was given notice of a hearing.

“Her resignation was accepted. The same was done with special director (ex-Asset Forfeiture Unit head adv Knorx) Molelle. I mention these just to indicate that colleagues of a similar rank were allowed to leave without notice.

“Your Excellency, you have granted me an amazing opportunity to serve. I am indebted to you, the country and the NPA. It is precisely because of this that l request your urgent consideration of the proposal of being released on resignation

“The NPA and Idac must and will always come first and I believe that this resignation in the manner proposed would serve the institutions and the country best,” Johnson added.

Sowetan