Submission on the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill [B29-2023]

On 25 October 2023 Open Secrets made a presentation to Parliament’s Portfolio Committee of Justice and Correctional Services on the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill B29-2023. The Bill attempts to make a range of amendments including creating a permanent Investigating Directorate called the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC). While Open Secrets welcomes some of the steps taken by this Amendment Bill we raised a number of concerns. These included needing more operational and financial independence for the proposed IDAC, clarifying IDACs scope and purpose as well as discussing broader issues of independence of the NPA as a whole.