WATCH: Mbeki insists he can’t be blamed for NPA’s failure to prosecute apartheid era crimes

Former President Thabo Mbeki said a commission of inquiry into allegations of political interference in prosecution of cases referred to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) will clear him of any wrongdoing.

Mbeki was speaking during his campaign for the African National Congress (ANC) in Mabopane, north of Pretoria on Saturday.

Watch Thabo Mbeki spaeaking about the allegations of political interferance in prosecution cases by the TRC

Denial

Mbeki in March 2024 denied that his administration had interfered with the work of NPA in investigating TRC cases.

“It is with some reluctance that I respond to Ms Karyn Maughan’s article: ‘Long-awaited NPA report gives no answers on ANC govt’s alleged blocking of apartheid trials’ published on News24 on 21 February.”

Maughan’s article focused on a report  compiled by advocates Dumisa Ntsebeza, a former TRC commissioner, and Sha’ista Kazee, which recommended that a commission of inquiry investigate the extent of, and rationale behind, the political interference with the NPA between 2003 and 2017.

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No blame

Mbeki insists that he can’t be blamed for the NPA’s failure to prosecute apartheid era crimes, as recommended by the TRC.

“If there is a demand, you are quite right that a commission of inquiry must be opened sure. I’ve said so, I’ve said by all means.

“The problem with that case was that the prosecutors did not do what they were supposed to do, that’s all and that’s what the Johannesburg High Cout said. Now they want to blame somebody else, its incorrect. National director, please check with your own prosecutors and take action against them,” Mbeki said.

Mbeki said a commission of inquiry into the matter is “fine.”

“It will come to the same conclusion. But fortunately the current national director or public prosecution have said ‘we are proceeding with those TRC cases.’ What had to be sorted about the past, fine, let the commission sit and it will come to the same conclusion, that the prosecutors did not prosecute.”

Attacking Vusi Pikoli

In March, Mbeki also attacked former National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) advocate Vusi Pikoli.

“I repeat, no such interference ever took place. If the investigations Adv Pikoli referred to were stopped, they were stopped by the NPA.

“There is no record of a single instance when the NPA stopped investigating and prosecuting any case on account of the so-called ‘executive interference’ – at least not during the period 1999-2008,” Mbeki claimed.

In a rebuttal. Maughan wrote that Pikoli had said there was “no need to respond to this except to say that I stand by my evidence in the Ginwala Commission and in all other subsequent affidavits I deposed to and admitted in court”, Daily Maverick reported.

Mbeki was President between 1999 and 2008.

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