The National Prosecuting Authority presented its 2011/12 annual performance plan to the Justice Portfolio Committee today. The specific activities outlined in the plan are aimed at contributing significantly to achieving the JCPS cluster's outputs. In order to contribute to reducing the levels of serious reported crime specifically contact and trio crimes such as house robberies, business robberies and vehicle robberies/hijackings the NPA aims to increase the number of convictions measured against the number of new cases enrolled in the Regional and High Courts to 45% by 2013/14 from 35.7% in 2009/10.
Output two of the JCPS Delivery Agreement speaks to the core of the organisation requiring improved cooperation and integration between the cluster organisations. To this end the NPA will strive to increase the number of cases finalised including Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanisms from 469 541 in 2009/10 to 524 380 in 2013/14 while maintaining a conviction rate 88%. The case backlogs remain a main concern and the NPA will seek to contribute to ensuring their reduction from 38 563 in 2009/10 to 37 043 in 2013/14.
Asset forfeiture remains a powerful tool in a comprehensive approach to eradicating crime and to this end the NPA will increase the value of freezing orders from R491 million in 2009/10 to R600 million in 2013/14. Added to this the NPA will increase the capability to utilise the provisions of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) in criminal proceedings (section 18) by building capacity in the broader prosecution.
The NPA's strategic objective to improve prosecution of JCPS officials charged with corruption (including bribery) to 63 by 2013/14 focuses on the cluster's recognition of the endemic nature of corruption among some officials who themselves are tasked with fighting against corruption. The further target of freezing assets to the value of R5 million linked to corruption by JCPS officials will serve as a deterrent. The NPA also plans to successfully prosecute and restrain assets of corruption cases with 100 persons convicted where at least R5 million assets are restrained cumulatively by 2013/14.
Internally the NPA will follow a zero approach to corruption and corrupt activities.
The NPA will continue to improve justice services for the victims of crime through the successful model of Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs). This year's target is to expand TCCs to 40 from the current 22. Furthermore the NPA will contribute to the restitution of the victims of crime by monitoring the value of compensation orders in criminal courts as well as by means of use of the Asset Forfeiture provisions. There will also be a focus on improving the conviction rate in sexual offences cases in all Regional and High Courts.
The justice cluster will step up the fight against cyber crime and the NPA has committed to increase the capability of the NPA to successfully prosecute cyber crime. To this end, the NPA will expand the capacity at all levels to successfully deal with the challenge of prosecuting these cases, including specialised training. The NPA's target of two prosecutors per region dedicated to cyber crime entails further training and skills transfer of other prosecutors by the dedicated prosecutors, so that incrementally all prosecutors have the capacity to deal with the complexities of cyber crime.
The National Director of Public Prosecutions, Adv Menzi Simelane also outlined the portfolios of the two recently appointed Deputy NDPPs. Adv Nomvula Mokhatla is responsible for the Legal Affairs portfolio and Adv Nomgcobo Jiba is in charge of prosecutions strategy and operations. The portfolios of the previous incumbent DNDPPs remain unchanged - Mr Willie Hofmeyr oversees the work of the Asset Forfeiture Unit and Dr Silas Ramaite is still charged with the work of the National Specialist Services Division (NSSD) which includes the Sexual Offences and Community Affairs (SOCA), Specialised Commercial Crime Unit (SCCU), Priority Crimes Litigation Unit and the Office for Witness Protection.
The structure in the regional offices is better aligned to ensure that all functions are properly coordinated by portfolio specialists under the leadership of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The Asset Forfeiture Unit continues to report directly to the relevant Deputy NDPP but with a dotted line to the DPP to ensure continued alignment of the prosecutions and asset forfeiture functions. This also addresses the committee members' concern that the NPA's restructuring was eliminating the specialists units such as the SCCU.
For more information, contact:
Ms Bulelwa Makeke (Head: Communication)
Cell: 084 702 5617
E-mail: bmakeke@npa.gov.za
Source: SAPA
