Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba, the former acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), has revealed that she was not aware that she had been implicated in the missing Cradock Four docket.
Image: Itumeleng English / Independent Newspapers
Advocate Nomgcobo Jiba, the former acting National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), has firmly denied any allegations of interference concerning the investigations into the TRC cases during her tenure at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
Jiba, during her appearance before the commission of inquiry into alleged political interference with the TRC cases, chaired by Justice Sisi Khampepe, clarified her position amidst an ongoing inquiry into the missing docket related to the Cradock Four case.
Jiba's tenure as Acting NDPP began following the Supreme Court of Appeal's ruling on December 1, 2011, which overturned Advocate Menzi Simelane's appointment to the position. She remained in the acting role until August 4, 2013, and previously served as Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions (DDPP) since 2001, becoming Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions (DNDPP) in 2010.
She testified that even after she departed from the NPA, she was never asked about the disappearance of the Cradock Four docket.
"No, there was no one, and I was in the NPA. We were attending meetings together, for example, with Dr Torry Pretorius, who was the acting head at the time. So, no one ever came to me and said there was a docket that was missing," she stated.
Jiba went on to explain that it wasn't until much later that she became aware of the missing docket, only realising it when she received a notice from the TRC Cases Commission.
"Even during the inquiry that was instituted on my fitness to hold office after I was placed on special leave by the president, I still had not been approached by anyone over the missing docket until I left the NPA in 2019... I only realised that when I received the notice from this commission that there is a docket that went missing from my office during my tenure."
Jiba also elaborated on her experience regarding the case, noting that an affidavit by Adv Raymond Macadam in 2021 was never brought to her attention and expressed her confusion over an alleged conflict of interest that led to her removal from a brief concerning the missing docket.
On the allegations of alleged political interference and pressure not to prosecute TRC matters, she said: "During my time as the acting NDPP, I would have EXCO meetings with the national directors of the various business units. At no stage did Dr Silas Ramaite give me any report that they were having challenges of political interference."
The proceedings were adjourned shortly before lunch after Jiba concluded her testimony, with the commission set to resume its work on Tuesday, April 7.
siyabonga.sithole@inl.co.za