Former deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions, Nomgcobo Jiba, has testified before the TRC Cases Inquiry, denying any involvement in the disappearance of the Cradock Four docket during her tenure as acting National Director of Public Prosecutions.
Jiba expressed frustration over the National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) lack of responsiveness when she sought a memo to understand the circumstances under which the docket could have gone missing. She stated that while former senior deputy director of public prosecutions, Raymond Macadam, did not directly implicate her, the impression was made that she played a role in the docket’s disappearance.
TRC Cases Inquiry
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 since 2001, becoming Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions in 2010.
Feeling aggrieved by the allegations that she had requested the Cradock Four docket, Jiba affirmed: “If I wanted the docket, I would have had the right to request it and would have included this request in the letter. The last paragraph of my letter does not request a docket. I have never asked for a docket.”
Cradock Four Case
The Cradock Four case refers to the murder of four anti-apartheid activists in 1985. The case was investigated by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which was established to investigate human rights abuses during the apartheid era.
Jiba further told the commission that it was during her time and as part of the National Operational Management Meetings (NORM), which she initiated, that there were challenges with the TRC cases. She directed her PA to write to Dr Torry Pretorius to request the list of all TRC cases and a summary of the evidence gathered.
Some of the key points Jiba made during her testimony include:
- She did not request the Cradock Four docket during her tenure as acting National Director of Public Prosecutions.
- She was not involved in the disappearance of the docket.
- She initiated the National Operational Management Meetings (NORM) to address challenges with the TRC cases.
Jiba’s testimony is part of the ongoing TRC Cases Inquiry, which aims to investigate the handling of TRC cases by the NPA.
