ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa will use the coming week to ramp up his bid to remove Jacob Zuma from the Union Buildings and Shaun Abrahams as NPA head.
This comes after he forced Zuma's hand in instituting the state capture commission this week - and after being made aware of Abrahams's apparent refusal to pursue 10 cases brought to him by prosecutors working on state capture cases last month.
Several national leaders have revealed that the issue of "leadership transition" - the term used in the ANC to describe Zuma's removal and Ramaphosa's installation as president of the country - will be discussed at a meeting of the party's national executive committee starting on Thursday.
The NEC has the power to recall a deployee, as happened with Thabo Mbeki in 2008.In his January 8 address yesterday, he continued his hard line on state capture, saying the investigation and prosecution of those responsible would be given priority.
He also pledged to put in place mechanisms to improve transparency in the appointment of individuals to senior government positions, state-owned entities and law enforcement agencies. He said this was to "prevent undue influence and ensure adequate vetting of candidates".
Details have meanwhile emerged about Zuma's unexpected announcement on the state capture commission. Ramaphosa met with Zuma in Durban last Sunday and informed him that his appeal against the High Court judgment on the judicial commission was in breach of an ANC national conference decision.
The court had assigned Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng the power to select the judge to head the inquiry.
Ramaphosa advised Zuma to rescind the appeal.
Mogoeng's office confirmed this week that Zuma wrote to the chief justice the next day, Monday, asking for the name of a judge to head the commission. This the chief justice supplied on Tuesday.
On the same day and on the eve of an NEC meeting, Zuma announced the establishment of the inquiry but said he was still taking advice on the appeal. "I have only appealed the orders to the extent that they set a particular precedent for the Office of the President of the Republic and are indeed deserving of legal certainty," Zuma said.
Zuma's spokesman, Bongani Ngqulunga, did not respond to questions. Abrahams could not be reached for comment.
NPA spokesman Luvuyo Mfaku said yesterday that a team of prosecutors, Asset Forfeiture Unit lawyers and investigators were working on the state capture allegations. Throughout last year Abrahams had received reports on the status of the investigations, he said. "He has, in addition, at various stages of the year met with members of the NPA team, including in December, to be briefed on the progress of the matters."
He said it was not true that Abrahams refused to look at the documents.
"[He] has never needed to consult with anyone before or after the briefings."..