Head of NPA’s Investigating Directorate Hermione Cronje resigns

Head of the National Prosecuting Authority’s Investigating Directorate (ID), Advocate Hermione Cronje, has reportedly asked to vacate her office before her term ends.

National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi confirmed the news to TimesLIVE, and said she supported Cronje’s request to resign effective from March 2022.

Deputy NDPP Rabaji-Rasethaba would support Cronje during the transition period, as they look for her replacement.

 “After a challenging first start-up phase, Adv Cronje will leave the ID well-positioned to deliver on its important mandate. I am confident, given all the ground work that has been done, that its work will continue unaffected, in the coming months,” Batohi was quoted as saying.

Cronje was appointed as head of the Investigating Directorate in the Office of the National Director of Public Prosecutions by President Cyril Ramaphosa in May 2019.

The unit, located in the office of Batohi, is tasked with investigating common law offences including fraud, forgery, theft and any offence involving dishonesty.

She was appointed for a period of five years with effect from 15 May 2019.

From 1998 to 2012, she was employed in various capacities in the NPA – first as an assistant to the first National Director of Public Prosecutions; as founding member of the Asset Forfeiture Unit, and for 10 years as regional head of the Asset Forfeiture Unit in the Western Cape.

In her last year in the NPA she was involved in the establishment of the Anti-Corruption Task Team (ACTT), a multi-agency task team established to investigate, prosecute and recover the assets of persons involved in large-scale corruption.