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What would Glynnis Breytenbach do if she had been the Minister of Justice? In a face-to-face interview from the Latitude Aparthotel studio in Cape City, BizNews asks her for options. Breytenbach, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Shadow Minister of Justice, says that her first precedence could be to make sure that the performance of the legal justice system was restored. “All the system wants a severe overhaul, and that features the police, the prosecution, the judiciary and correctional providers.” Presently, Breytenbach is working laborious in the direction of the institution of an Anti-Corruption Fee that may relieve the overburdened Nationwide Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of the duty of prosecuting very high-level corruption- and organised crime circumstances. She is optimistic that the invoice will sail by way of Parliament – with the anticipated assist from the African Nationwide Congress (ANC) – and that the Fee may very well be arrange inside a few 12 months – and that this fully unbiased Chapter 9 establishment may begin prosecuting these complicated circumstances inside 18 months in order that South Africans can begin seeing accountability and penalties. – Chris Steyn
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Related timestamps from the interview
00:00 – Introductions
00:28 – Glynnis Breytenbach on the state of the Justice Deparment in SA and what modifications she would make if she had been Justice Minister
06:35 – On if the dire state of the Justice Division could be rotated timeously
07:22 – On the Nationwide Prosecuting Authority
11:20 – On the general public scepticism towards the Justice Division and NPA
12:49 – On the protection and safety of whistleblowers in SA
15:59 – On the Anti-Corruption Fee Invoice
18:40 – On the endemic corruption in South Africa
20:27 – On the timeline for the Anti-Corruption Fee Invoice
21:16 – On what drives her ardour for justice
22:51 – On her relationships with the Ministers of Police and Justice and the Thabo Bester debacle
24:11 – On President Cyril Ramaphosa
24:42 – On the state of justice in South Africa
25:52 – Concludes
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Highlights from the interview
What would Glynnis Breytenbach do if she had been the Minister of Justice?
She shares her targets with BizNews in a face-to-face interview from the Latitude Aparthotel studio in Cape City.
Breytenbach, the Democratic Alliance’s (DA’s) Shadow Minister of Justice, says that proper now her precedence could be to make sure that the performance of the legal justice system was restored.
“All the system wants a severe overhaul, and that features the police, the prosecution, the judiciary and correctional providers.”
Breytenbach says she would additionally be certain that the administration within the Division of Justice upped its recreation.”
Learn extra: Glynnis Breytenbach: Beating SA’s corrupt, reform legal justice – dynamite
Among the burning points are courts not sitting as a result of the court docket equipment doesn’t work, whereas some sit for under an hour and 10 minutes on common a day; a variety of lifeless wooden, and little or no expertise retention with not ample mentorship to convey folks up the ranks; court docket interpreters not being handled professionally – and having little or no coaching obtainable; “horrible” contract administration; and a price range not spent correctly.”
The previous crack prosecutor would additionally instil self-discipline. “There’s little or no self-discipline. I’m an ideal believer in self-discipline – and I’d implement self-discipline…Prosecutors must be in court docket prosecuting, not sitting about.”
Breytenbach would additionally wish to see a “extra responsive” Nationwide Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Breytenbach says the circumstances she would most wish to see prioritised now for prosecution are sure State Seize circumstances. “I’d wish to see three or 4 in court docket proper now…”
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She believes that doing so may begin sating “the starvation that South Africans have for accountability and penalties for delinquent behaviour”.
As for the a whole bunch of Apartheid-era circumstances referred to the NPA by the Reality and Reconciliation Fee (TRC), Breytenbach factors out that former Vlakplaas Commander Eugene de Kock was the one one prosecuted. “There have been many different folks increased up the meals chain who ought to have been held accountable. Most of them now have died. And so these households are being left with no risk of closure….So I wish to have seen that accomplished.”
Breytenbach would additionally wish to see organised crime circumstances prosecuted extra successfully; Crime Intelligence (CI) constructed up; and extra – and higher – coaching for judges.
Presently, Breytenbach is working laborious in the direction of the institution of an Anti-Corruption Fee that may relieve the overburdened NPA of prosecuting very high-level corruption and organised crime circumstances.
Requested how quickly that might occur, Breytenbach – who’s relying on the assist of the African Nationwide Congress (ANC) – says: “So earlier than Parliament rises subsequent 12 months, one hopes that this invoice will undergo. The Fee could be arrange throughout the area of round a 12 months.”
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As for the way quickly the fully unbiased Chapter 9 establishment may begin prosecuting extremely complicated circumstances, Breytenbach says: “With the cooperation of the Nationwide Prosecuting Authority on the skin, inside 18 months.”
Breytenbach and her colleagues within the Justice Portfolio of the DA are additionally engaged on a brand new Whistleblowing invoice that might give whistleblowers extra incentives – and higher safety.
As for what drives her battle for justice, she says: “I at all times battle for the underdog.”
In the meantime, she continues to be fuming that the ministers of police and justice didn’t lose their jobs over the Thabo Bester escape scandal. “I consider that due to that, simply that little situation, the Minister of Justice (Ronald Lamola) and the Minister of Police (Bheki Cele) would have resigned if they’d any ounce of integrity. And once they didn’t resign, the president (Cyril Ramaphosa), bless him, ought to have fired them. However, after all, that additionally gained’t occur as a result of that may require him to do one thing.”
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