State figures who have the daunting task of ensuring criminals are held to account increasingly fear for their safety, especially as pressure mounts for high-level State Capture cases to be prosecuted and whistle-blowers speak out about having to fend for themselves.
Aside from prosecutors and whistle-blowers, magistrates and judges are also at risk of being targeted. A survey conducted in 2020 by civil society platform Magistrates Matter with the University of Cape Town’s Democratic Governance and Rights Unit hinted at what magistrates were up against. Adding to fears about the protection of state officials is the problematic status of policing and intelligence in SA. These security structures have been accused of corruption and face allegations that they were abused to suit a political faction aligned to former president Jacob Zuma. Acting Chief Justice Raymond Zondo is due to release a report about this from the findings of the State Capture Commission.
There are broader fears within judicial circles that not enough is being done about their security and that this will affect them more once State Capture cases develop. Van Loggerenberg, who is part of two whistle-blower support groups, added: “Many of us in these groups have, for many years, been and remain fearful and concerned for our safety and security.
“The NPA was engaging with the Department of Justice to deal with this matter. Many parties, including government departments and businesses, needed to come together urgently while the legal framework was being considered,” read the minutes from that meeting in Parliament. Although it was not immediately clear what the motive behind his killing was, TimesLIVE reported that the prosecutor had been involved in a case against two police officers facing murder charges.
“The NPA works with the police and other stakeholders in this regard. When the affected staff members need to appear in high-risk cases, the provisioning of protection and other security measures is planned and executed in close collaboration with various stakeholders,” he said. Based on the plan, Crime Intelligence and the department’s Security and Risk Unit would approve protection services to the presiding magistrate and their family for a set period. More threat assessments would be conducted as a case progressed.established, however, that the involvement of the SAPS and its Crime Intelligence unit in judicial security was worrying to some. This is because of corruption and problems among police officers.
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