Malema welcomes Batohi’s appointment as NPA boss

EFF leader Julius Malema has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s appointment of Shamila Batohi as National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP).

Malema said Batohi’s strength at the helm of the National Prosecuting Authority will be shown through the prosecution of high-profile cases involving politicians.

He was speaking during a media briefing in parliament on Tuesday.

“We [are] saying to her that her strength will be shown through the prosecution of high-profile cases which involve politicians of South Africa, particularly from the ruling party [ANC] because we have seen in the past some reluctance from the NPA to prosecute people who are politically connected,” Malema said.

“We note her appointment and we hope she will not be influenced by the cabal, because there is a strong rumour that she has some relationship with the Indian cabal which existed in the UDF [United Democratic Front]… But we wish her well and we thank Ramaphosa for the historic appointment of a female into such a position of power.”

Ramaphosa announced Batohi as the replacement of embattled former NDPP head Shaun Abrahams earlier on Tuesday.