Six lawyers make shortlist for prosecutions boss after Batohi

The new national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) will be determined from a list of six candidates, whittled down from 32 applications — and there are some newsmakers among them.

The term of incumbent Shamila Batohi, who was South Africa’s first woman prosecutions boss, ends in January.

An advisory panel, chaired by justice and constitutional development minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, met on Tuesday to finalise the screening of nominated candidates.

Listed alphabetically by surname, those who will go through to the interview stage are:

Nicolette Astraid Bell

Advocate Nicolette Astraid Bell is the director of public prosecutions in the Western Cape at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Her previous roles include:

• acting director of public prosecutions in the Western Cape;
• senior deputy director of public prosecutions and deputy director of public prosecutions in Cape Town;
• senior state advocate and state advocate at the Johannesburg office of the director of public prosecutions; as well as
• public prosecutor at the Krugersdorp magistrate’s court.

Hermione Cronje

Advocate Hermione Cronje is presently a freelance international anti-corruption and asset recovery specialist, working on short-term contracts with international development institutions and South African non-governmental organisations.

Her previous experience includes serving as:

• a consultant to the Stolen Assets Recovery Initiative (StAR);
• independent commissioner for the EU Anti-Corruption Initiative in Ukraine;
• strategic adviser to the GlobE Network;
• consultant to Open Secrets;
• researcher at the Democratic Governance and Rights Unit at the University of Cape Town; and
• investigating director at the NPA.

She has also:

• practised as an advocate of the high court and member of the Cape Bar; and
• held roles in the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU) as regional head, senior state advocate and junior state advocate.

Earlier roles include:

• professional assistant to the NDPP at the NPA; and
• researcher to the select committee on justice and constitutional development in parliament.

Andrea Johnson

Advocate Andrea Johnson is the investigating director at the NPA. Her previous positions include:

• senior deputy director of public prosecutions;
• prosecutor at the department of justice and constitutional development;
• junior state advocate at the NPA;
• senior state advocate;
• deputy director of public prosecutions at the Directorate of Special Operations;
• national co-ordinator for organised crime; and
• acting special director at the NPA.

Xolisile Jennifer Khanyile

Advocate Xolisile Jennifer Khanyile serves as chair of the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime.

Her previous experience includes being:

• a director at the Financial Intelligence Centre;
• director of public prosecutions in the Free State;
• acting deputy national director of public prosecutions;
• head of the NPS;
• acting director of public prosecutions in South Gauteng;
• senior deputy director of public prosecutions;
• deputy director of public prosecutions in the AFU; and
• senior state advocate in Johannesburg.

Earlier roles include:

• district court prosecutor;
• control prosecutor in Madadeni; and
• regional court control prosecutor in Newcastle.

Adrian Carl Mopp

Advocate Adrian Carl Mopp is the deputy director of public prosecutions in the Western Cape at the NPA.

His previous roles include:

• regional head and deputy regional head for special operations in the Western Cape,
• deputy director of public prosecutions in the AFU,
• senior state advocate in the investigating directorate for organised crime and at the office of the auditor-general, and
• public prosecutor in Kimberley and Makhanda.

Earlier experience includes:

• practising as a candidate attorney at Frank Sithole & Company;
• serving as a detective in the South African Police Service;
• chairing both the Tax Board in KwaZulu-Natal and the Municipal Bids Appeal Tribunal; and
• prosecuting the infamous Annie Dewani murder.

Menzi Simelane

Simelane practises as an advocate with the Johannesburg Society of Advocates.

His previous positions include:

• special adviser to minister Lindiwe Sisulu;
• national director of public prosecutions at the NPA;
• director-general of the department of justice and constitutional development;
• chief legal counsel at the Competition Commission; and
• research assistant at the Agricultural Research Council.

The panel is targeting December 10–11 for the interview process, the justice ministry said.

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