Prosecutions alone won't end corruption, says NPA's Batohi

CAPE TOWN - National prosecuting head, Shamila Batohi, said the country won't be able to prosecute its way out of corruption despite the importance of holding those responsible, also for state capture, accountable. 

Batohi said that while the high public interest in state capture matters was understandable, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) was being unfairly judged solely on its success in prosecuting these crimes.

The NPA, Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation, the Hawks, were before Parliament's Standing Committee on Public Accounts on Wednesday to explain the progress made in prosecuting high-profile corruption matters.

Batohi said that while wide-ranging testimony was delivered at the Zondo Commission of Inquiry, not all of it was backed up by evidence that could withstand a judicial test in a court of law.

The dearth of skills and capacity necessary to investigate these matters further, and then prosecute them, was also being felt both within the police and the prosecuting authority.

Batohi said prosecutions alone would not bring an end to corruption.

"Without a committed and ethical leadership and good governance in the ministries, the various governments, municipalities, we will do all that we can but we will just sort of be like the mouse running in a circle. We are not going to solve the problem."

She added that strong reform agendas were also needed to root out corruption. 

"It doesn't mean it's not important, we recognise the importance of our work, and we will do all that we can to ensure there's accountability and we recover the assets."

Thirty-seven cases stemming from the state capture inquiry are currently before the courts.