President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Advocate Andy Mothibi, the current head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), as South Africa’s next National Director of Public Prosecutions, with his term set to begin on 1 February 2026.
The appointment follows an unusual outcome in which an independent advisory panel recommended that none of the candidates interviewed for the post were suitable for the position.
The panel, chaired by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, had selected six candidates from a pool of 32 applicants for public interviews. After deliberations, the panel concluded that no candidate fully satisfied the criteria required for the country’s top prosecutorial role, effectively leaving the final decision to the President under his constitutional mandate.
Mothibi will take over from Advocate Shamila Batohi, who is completing her seven-year term at the helm of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).
He brings extensive experience in both prosecution and investigations. His career includes work as a state prosecutor, service as a magistrate in Johannesburg and Soweto, and senior positions within the South African Revenue Service (SARS) as well as the private sector. As head of the SIU, Mothibi has overseen several major probes into corruption and maladministration involving public institutions.
Following his appointment, SIU Chief Operations Officer Leonard Lekgetho will assume the role of acting head of the unit from 1 February.
Mothibi’s elevation comes as the advisory panel’s recruitment process faces a pending legal challenge, with allegations of bias raised by some quarters.
Presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said President Ramaphosa is confident the appointment will withstand scrutiny, emphasising that the decision falls squarely within the President’s constitutional authority.
As he takes charge of the NPA, Mothibi inherits an institution central to South Africa’s anti-corruption drive, confronting persistent challenges including case backlogs, limited resources, and increasingly complex criminal prosecutions.
