Shaun Abrahams out this week?

New ANC boss Cyril Ramaphosa reportedly has both President Jacob Zuma and his acolyte, National Prosecuting Authority head Shaun Abrahams, in his sights, notes Legalbrief. It has also been revealed that Ramaphosa pushed Zuma to make his surprise announcement last week of a judicial commission on inquiry into state capture. A report in the Sunday Times says Zuma’s future will be discussed at a meeting of the party's national executive committee starting on Thursday. The paper notes Ramaphosa met Zuma last week and instructed him to announce the commission. The Sunday Times says it has also learnt that Ramaphosa intends to remove Abrahams from his post this week after receiving legal opinion advising him that he could do so immediately. This comes after Ramaphosa learned of Abrahams’ apparent refusal to pursue a dozen cases brought to him by prosecutors working on state capture cases last month. Last month the Gauteng High Court (Pretoria) delegated the power to appoint the head of the NPA to Ramaphosa after declaring that Zuma was conflicted because of his pending corruption charges. Judge Dunstan Mlambo invalidated Abrahams’ appointment. Zuma and the NPA have appealed the judgment. Ramaphosa has, however, been canvassing names for the position, says the Sunday Times. It claims Ramaphosa was made aware that a group of prosecutors in the NPA met Abrahams last month to brief him on the status of almost a dozen high-profile state capture cases that they were ready to prosecute. Abrahams was apparently shocked and refused to look at the case files, saying he needed to consult higher authorities. ‘The prosecutors caught him off-guard and he didn’t know how to handle the matter. He still hasn’t responded to them,’ a senior ANC leader who has been briefed on the matter reportedly told the newspaper.

The NPA, though, is still denying it has been reticent to prosecute corruption high-flyers. According to the Sunday Times report, NPA spokesperson Luvuyo Mfaku claimed a team of prosecutors, Asset Forfeiture Unit lawyers and investigators were working on the state capture allegations. Throughout last year Abrahams had received reports on the status of the investigations, he said. ‘He has, in addition, at various stages of the year met with members of the NPA team, including in December, to be briefed on the progress of the matters.’ He said it was not true that Abrahams refused to look at the documents. ‘(He) has never needed to consult with anyone before or after the briefings.’

Full Sunday Times report (subscription needed)