NPA head Shaun Abrahams
Photo by: Reuters
The Presidency on Monday said that it had not received a letter from the Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law requesting an inquiry into the fitness of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) to hold office.
The civil organisations reportedly gave President Jacob Zuma an ultimatum last week after NPA boss Shaun Abrahams announced the withdrawal of charges against Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan.
The organisations had given Zuma until 16:00 on Monday, November 7, to provisionally suspend Abrahams and prosecutors Torie Pretorius and Sibongile Mzinyathi.
Presidency spokesperson Bongani Ngqulunga said the Presidency had learnt through media reports that the organisations had apparently written a letter to Zuma regarding the alleged impropriety and unfitness of Abrahams for the office of the NDPP.
Ngqulunga said the letter apparently gave an account of how the NDPP, and the prosecutors who had dealt with the matter involving the minister of finance and others, had acted inappropriately.
The letter concludes by asking the president to confirm, in writing, by no later than Monday, at 16:00, that he will provisionally suspend the NDPP, Pretorius and Mzinyathi pending inquiries into their fitness to hold office under the National Prosecuting Authority Act.
"The Presidency has checked its records and has no record of receipt of this correspondence," Ngqulunga said.
He said the matter would be attended to once the Presidency had received the letter.