
ActionSA slams NPA for failing to successfully prosecute those implicated in state capture
CAPE TOWN - With this week marking three years since former Chief Justice Raymond Zondo handed over the last chapters of the state capture commission of inquiry report to the president, ActionSA has slammed the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for failing to successfully prosecute those implicated.
NPA head Shamila Batohi is under pressure from opposition parties to quit the job over botched state capture cases and extradition matters.
Batohi will be before Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts (SCOPA) on Wednesday to provide a status update of corruption prosecutions.
ALSO READ:
• Batohi adamant she won't resign despite repeated calls for her head by opposition parties
• Ramaphosa announces meeting with NPA boss to clear the air about perceived knots
Meanwhile, ActionSA said it was planning to stage a protest in Pretoria on Thursday to call for her removal.
ActionSA's parliamentary leader, Athol Trollip, said that the irregular handling of an extradition linked to the asbestos corruption case in the Free State was not an isolated blunder but a pattern.
"There is supposed to be a war against corruption in this country. Nobody has seen one shot fired and the blame must be laid at the door of the NPA and the national director of public prosecutions."
He said his party would not be intimidated by former executives implicated in the state capture project who now served in the parliamentary benches as MPs of the MK Party.
"They're defending themselves rather than being an effective opposition. They defend themselves in portfolio committees on matters under serious discussion. We are not going to be threatened by gangsters in this Parliament."
The party said it would be introducing a zero tolerance corruption bill later this year to plug the gaps in enforcement and deterrence in the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The South African
2 hours ago
- The South African
Two life sentences for man who raped and stabbed schoolgirls
A 33-year-old man received two life sentences plus 45 years for brutally raping, kidnapping, and attempting to murder two schoolgirls in Dithakong village near Mothibistad, Northern Cape. The Mothibistad Regional Court found Thabo Magwatane guilty on seven charges. The charges include housebreaking with intent to steal, two counts of kidnapping, two counts of rape, and two counts of attempted murder. According to the NPA, Magwatane and three accomplices broke into a home on 23 February 2022. Two matric learners, aged 17 and 18, lived there to attend school. The attackers cut the power and demanded cash and phones before stealing R100 and two cellphones. They then stripped the victims naked, blindfolded them, and forced them into the veld wearing only sandals. One man raped both girls en route to a river. At the river, a second man raped them again. After the rapes, one of the attackers instructed another to kill the girls. The girls were stabbed repeatedly in the upper body and left for dead. When one girl tried to move, the group returned. She was stabbed again as one man told another to 'finish her off.' During the second stabbing, a cellphone alarm rang. One victim, pretending to be dead, saw Magwatane, her cousin's boyfriend, trying to silence the phone. The attackers fled the scene. The girls lay bleeding in the veld for 30 minutes before helping each other to seek help. One house refused to help them. At another, residents gave them blankets and called their parents. Both victims went to the ICU, underwent reconstructive surgery, and faced a long physical and emotional recovery. Magwatane evaded arrest for almost two years. Police arrested him in Rustenburg in early 2024. The court rejected any arguments for leniency. Magwatane will serve his sentences concurrently with the life terms. A second accused, Obakeng Mosesane, 25, remains in custody. The court set his trial for 2 July 2025. The judge separated the matters because Magwatane had absconded earlier. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

IOL News
5 hours ago
- IOL News
ActionSA declines participation in Government of National Unity amidst scathing review
ActionSA's parliamentary leader Athol Trollip says ActionSA is not joining the GNU. Image: Henk Kruger/Independent Newspapers ActionSA has made a U-turn on its interest in joining the Government of National Unity (GNU) just two months after it partnered with the ANC, which leads the GNU, in passing the Budget vote. The party released its "GNU Performance Tracker" on Tuesday, which aims to objectively assess the coalition government's performance last year. The tracker paints a bleak picture of the government's failures, awarding it a series of failing grades across six critical themes, including ethical leadership and public service, the economy, infrastructure, basic services, education, and crime. Despite indications from its leader, Herman Mashaba, just months ago that it may consider joining the coalition, that includes the DA, Action SA has slammed the GNU effectively ruling out joining. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ A while ago the party saved the ANC from being embarrassed after it voted with them during the passing of the 0.5 percentage point VAT hike and the fiscal framework document in parliament. Mashaba, at the time, had shown interest in joining the GNU. However, ActionSA's parliamentary leader, Athol Trollip, has ruled out these assertions, saying his party would rather focus on being a constructive opposition. Trollip said supporting the ANC in passing the Budget did not mean they were interested in joining the GNU. 'We have always maintained that the ANC when we were backing them during the budget battle, that we didn't want any incentives or to be part of the GNU,' he reportedly said. He added that his party did not regret its decision not to join the GNU arrangement a year ago. While the EFF and the uMkhonto weSizwe Party also widely criticised the GNU's performance one year on, ActionSA gave the government an F for leadership and public service, citing excessive government spending and criticising the size of the "bloated cabinet". ActionSA MP Alan Beasley painted a grim picture of unemployment and the economy, awarding the government an F-grade. "In South Africa, we have 8.3 million people unemployed. There are a further 3.5 million workers who have been discouraged who have given up looking for work. So, there are nearly 12 million South Africans that are unemployed — 12 million South Africans that are being psychologically murdered because of unemployment," Beasley said. ActionSA's education assessment revealed critical systemic failures, with the high school dropout rate alarming. Only 53.6% of students who start grade 10 complete matric, a number that had dropped from 55.3% in 2024. The crime landscape also remained dire, with a staggering 5,727 murders recorded between January and March 2025. "We don't want to be in the Government of National Unity. We are perfectly placed between a hegemonic GNU and a big, but hopeless opposition," Trollip said. He said the party will focus on being a constructive opposition, supporting where it can and opposing where it must.

IOL News
7 hours ago
- IOL News
Community anger as rape accused granted bail in Khayelitsha case
Concerns after Ongeziwe Poni's alleged rapist was granted bail. Image: Ayanda Ndamane Civil society organisations and community members in Khayelitsha have voiced outrage over the decision to grant bail to a man accused of the kidnapping and repeated rape of 20-year-old Ongeziwe Poni, a promising young boxer. Siyabonga Zono, who stands accused of abducting and raping Poni during a 12-hour ordeal on the night of 30 March 2025, was released on bail following his fifth court appearance at the Khayelitsha Magistrates' Court on 28 May. The case has faced multiple delays, with the most recent postponement due to the absence of the investigating officer, who reportedly has not visited all the crime scenes. According to the victim's statement, she was attacked at knifepoint and raped multiple times in separate locations, including a public toilet, an open field, and a shack where she was held overnight. Zono was arrested in connection with the case and charged with kidnapping and rape. Ilitha Labantu, a longstanding organisation advocating for the rights of women and children, condemned the court's decision to release the accused. REMANDED: Accused Siyabonga Zono Image: Ayanda Ndamane The organisation described the ruling as 'a gross miscarriage of justice' and said it reflected a broader systemic failure to prioritise survivors of gender-based violence. 'Despite the severity of the allegations, the investigation has been marked by a disturbing lack of urgency and seriousness,' said Ilitha Labantu spokesperson Siyabulela Monakali. 'Such failures by law enforcement not only compromise the integrity of the case but send a demoralising message to survivors about the state's commitment to justice.' The group cited the accused's release as further traumatising the survivor and noted that more than 1,800 members of the public had signed a petition opposing bail. They called on the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to review and appeal the bail decision urgently. "We call on the NPA to urgently review and appeal the bail decision. We further demand accountability for the failures in the investigative process and the immediate prioritisation of this case to ensure that justice is not delayed or denied. Survivors like Ongeziwe deserve more than our sympathy. They deserve action, dignity, protection, and justice." Adding to public criticism is men's social movement Amadoda Qotho founder Lumkile Sizila, who expressed support for Poni and called for accountability in policing and prosecution. The organisation, which advocates against gender-based violence, substance abuse, and crime, said it supported the establishment of a commission of inquiry into policing failures in Khayelitsha. 'We are not tolerant of any form of abuse and crime,' said the group. 'Every day, women are raped and their rights to dignity, life and freedom of movement are violated. The Constitution obliges the state to respect, protect, promote and fulfil these rights.' Sizila added that the laws meant to protect women are 'not taken seriously' and urged communities to unite in holding the justice system accountable. 'We will fight for Ongeziwe Poni. We will win this case,' the statement concluded. Further concerns were raised by staff at the Grassroots Youth Academy, where Poni trains. Coach Jongi Kamko, who also acts as a mentor to many of the young girls at the academy, said the court's decision had sent shockwaves through the community. 'These girls looked up to Ongeziwe as a symbol of strength and resilience,' he said. 'Now they are struggling to concentrate. The news of the accused's release has instilled fear and undermined the safe and supportive space we have worked hard to create.' Kamko said the decision had eroded public confidence in the justice system. 'It suggests that the perpetrator's rights are being prioritised over the safety of victims and the broader community. This undermines trust in the legal system and discourages other survivors from speaking out.'