The uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party has given the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) a 7-day ultimatum to reinstate criminal charges against former senior police officer Johan Booysen and members of the controversial Cato Manor Unit. The party is demanding a fresh evaluation of the case and the revival of charges linked to alleged extrajudicial killings in KwaZulu-Natal.
Cato Manor Case Background
The Cato Manor case involves allegations of extrajudicial killings by the Cato Manor Unit, a police unit that was established to combat crime in KwaZulu-Natal. The unit was accused of operating as a death squad, with allegations of murder, torture, and other human rights abuses. The NPA’s decision to withdraw charges against Booysen and others in 2019 was widely criticized, with many arguing that it was a travesty of justice.
The MK Party argues that the Cato Manor killings were not isolated incidents but part of a broader pattern of police conduct dating back to the apartheid era. The party accuses the NPA of failing to hold alleged perpetrators accountable and of shielding alleged murderers in police uniform who operated as a death squad under the guise of crime-fighting. According to the South African Human Rights Commission, the Cato Manor case is a prime example of the need for accountability and transparency in the police service.
Key Demands
The MK Party is demanding that the NPA take the following steps:
- Reinstate criminal charges against Johan Booysen and members of the Cato Manor Unit
- Conduct a fresh evaluation of the case and the evidence
- Revive charges linked to alleged extrajudicial killings in KwaZulu-Natal
The party argues that there is no legal basis for delaying prosecution while review proceedings are underway in the High Court. The MK Party’s chief whip for the Peace and Security Cluster, Mzwanele Manyi, has written to the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Rodney “Andy” Mothibi, demanding immediate action.
The NPA’s decision to withdraw charges against Booysen and others in 2019 was based on a review of the evidence, but the MK Party argues that this decision was irrational and unjustified. The party claims that former NDPP Advocate Shamila Batohi took the decision without properly reviewing key evidence, including testimony from expert witnesses and ballistic evidence. As noted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, the prosecution of cases involving police brutality and corruption is critical to upholding the rule of law and protecting human rights.
