ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba called on the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Advocate Shamila Batohi, to convene an urgent meeting with his movement in an attempt to discuss the possible prosecutions of those implicated in the State Capture Report.
The movement’s stance was communicated in a statement released on Wednesday morning.
“I have today written to Advocate Shamila Batohi, requesting a meeting to further discuss her letter to ActionSA relating to the prosecutions of those named in the State Capture Report,” read the statement.
“Advocate Batohi, in her letter, creates the impression that she will give effect to the recommendations contained in the State Capture Report but does not clarify exactly who will be prosecuted and the progress of the prosecutions.”
As previously reported, Mashaba, former DA mayor of Johannesburg, last month, sent a letter to Batohi asking her to announce the steps to be taken by the NPA when it comes to state capture, and to institute criminal proceedings against those implicated in the report within seven business days of receipt of their letter.
Mashaba said should Batohi failed to respond to his letter, he would take the law into his own hands, charging the culprits himself.
Weekend Argus, earlier this month, exclusively reported that Mashaba, according to highly-placed sources, wanted president Cyril Ramaphosa and former statesman Jacob Zuma charged, as well as minister of energy Gwede Mantashe, former Eskom and Transnet boss Brian Molefe, suspended ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, and erstwhile minister of public enterprises Lynne Brown.
Others included the likes of the disgraced former minister of finance Malusi Gigaba and former Eskom acting chief executive Matshela Koko.
In her response to ActionSA, Batohi said: “I share the sentiments expressed in your letter for the need of swift action based on the State Capture Report.”
She added: “However, you will appreciate that the commission did not conduct criminal investigations but did a fact-finding mission with evidence that requires further criminal investigations by law enforcement for the purposes of presenting relevant and admissible evidence for prosecution.”
According to Batohi, a task force was constituted to coordinate the cases emanating from the report.
“The work of the task force is continuing, and so far, there are many cases that have since been enrolled and investigations declared by the investigating directorate,” Batohi added in her letter.
ActionSA said it was in the country's best interests that all cooperated to ensure that justice is served for the people of South Africa against those who are responsible for the state capture project that has brought “our country to its knees.”
“To this end, ActionSA will make its legal team available to assist where it can so that we may begin to restore confidence in our criminal justice system,” said the movement.
“We are encouraged by Advocate Batohi's willingness to communicate with ActionSA in this regard, and we are hopeful that she will accede to our request to meet.
“It is our hope that by working together, we can bring swift action in the form of arrests being affected, with resultant prosecutions and imprisonment that will give meaning to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into State Capture.”
Weekend Argus.