DA backs Vanara’s appointment but declares IDAC ‘too compromised’ to fight corruption
He will serve as Acting Head of IDAC until a permanent appointment is made, following Advocate Andrea Johnson's resignation.
Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara has been appointed as the Acting Head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), according to the DA. However, the party has expressed concerns that IDAC is too compromised to effectively combat corruption. Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi announced the appointment in consultation with the National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Andy Mothibi.
Vanara, who currently serves as Chief Legal Counsel at the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), previously held senior leadership positions at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and in Parliament. The DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development, Advocate Glynnis Breytenbach, stated that while the appointment of an acting head is necessary given the "uncertainty and serious challenges that have surrounded IDAC," it should be kept brief.
Prolonged acting appointments, Breytenbach warned, create uncertainty and undermine institutional stability, potentially leading to a loss of focus and direction in the fight against corruption.
Breytenbach emphasized that South Africa needs an anti-corruption body with the independence, resources, investigative capacity, and public credibility required to pursue corruption at all levels, including within the highest echelons of government and the criminal justice system. Despite cautiously welcoming Vanara's appointment, the DA will continue to closely monitor IDAC's actions and outcomes, and will maintain its commitment to rigorous parliamentary oversight over the institution and the broader criminal justice system.
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