Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions (DNDPP) Anton du Plessis met the requirements for the position he currently occupies.
This is according to former justice and constitutional development minister Thembi Simelane when she was responding to parliamentary questions from uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Sibonelo Nomvalo.
Nomvalo wrote to Simelane on November 18 enquiring about the process followed with the appointment of Du Plessis.
He also wanted to know whether Du Plessis met all the standard requirements for the position of the deputy national director of public prosecutions.
In her written reply dated December 2, prior to her removal from the position, Simelane said the DNDPP was appointed in terms of the National Prosecuting Authority Act.
The legislation makes a provision for the President to appoint not more than four deputy national directors of public prosecutions after consultation with the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development and the national director of public prosecutions.
“The procedure prescribed in s. 11(1) of the NPA Act, as aforesaid, was followed in the appointment of Adv. Anton Du Plessis as a DNDPP,” she said.
Simelane added that the NPA Act also prescribed the qualifications for appointment as an NDPP, a DNDPP or a director of public prosecutions of any person who possessed legal qualifications that would entitle him or her to practise in all courts in the country.
The persons to be appointed to those positions must be fit and proper with due regard to his or her experience, conscientiousness and integrity, to be entrusted with the responsibilities of the office concerned.
Simelane said the implication of the NPA Act was that the DNDPPs must have, as a minimum, an LLB degree.
“Adv. Du Plessis met all the above-mentioned requirements. In addition to holding an LLB degree, he has a Master’s degree in Law (LLM) and has extensive senior management experience at multiple levels,” she said.
Nomvalo’s questions come almost two months after reports surfaced that Du Plessis was refused security clearance due to his dual citizenship for South Africa and the UK.
The NPA previously said Du Plessis disclosed his dual citizenship and no adverse findings were made that his dual citizenship posed any risk to the work that he has been doing since March 2021.
Meanwhile, Simelane recently outlined the succession plan the NPA has put in place to ensure it continues to operate optimally when National Director of Public Prosecution Shamila Batohi and her deputies retire. She was quizzed by DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach as Batohi will retire in January 2026 and one of her deputies, Rodney de Kock, will retire in late 2025.
Simelane said senior staff of the NPA have been given the opportunity to act in higher positions for set periods of time and were being exposed to training interventions to build their management skills.
Cape Times