NPA boss survives court bid

Lobby groups the Helen Suzman Foundation and Freedom Under Law have failed in their bid to have National Director of Public Prosecutions Shaun Abrahams and two prosecutors suspended‚ pending an inquiry into their fitness to hold office. The full bench of the High Court in Pretoria yesterday struck the application off the roll for lack of urgency with costs.

Gauteng Judge President Dunstan Mlambo said the court could not stray into the executive terrain, which could lead to a violation of the separation of powers doctrine. The court must guard against a precedent where – on insufficient grounds – citizens tried to use the courts to dictate to the executive how to do its job, Mlambo said.