Parliament, Tuesday, 19 May 2026 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr Xola Nqola, has issued a scathing critique of the Mpumalanga prosecutor convicted of contempt of court yesterday, labelling the official's actions a gross betrayal of the constitutional mandate.
The prosecutor, Mr Mkhuseli Ntaba, failed to appear at the Kwaggafontein Magistrate’s Court for a crucial bail application involving suspects facing serious charges of extortion and money laundering in the case of Mr Madoda Johannes Sibanyoni and three others.
“This dereliction of duty resulted in the case being struck off the roll and a warrant of arrest being issued for the prosecutor. Such behaviour directly compromises the country's fight against organised crime. I am utterly appalled by the reckless and unprofessional conduct of this prosecutor,” the Chairperson said.
“At a time when our country is battling a scourge of extortion, for a representative of the state to simply vanish and cause a major criminal case to be struck off the roll is an absolute disgrace. This is not just a procedural failure; it is a slap in the face of every South African who looks to our courts for protection and justice.”
Mr Nqola commended the speedy action on the part of the National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), Adv Andy Mothibi, in calling for the immediate suspension and disciplinary action against the prosecutor. “Furthermore, we note the NDPP’s urgent intervention with the South African Police Service (SAPS) to work around the clock to correct this hitch and get the accused extortionists back on the court roll immediately. It is commendable but we should never have reached this point,” emphasised Mr Nqola.
The Chairperson noted that Parliament will look into the frequency of such administrative failures to ensure this is an isolated incident and not a symptom of deeper institutional neglect. “We expect the upcoming disciplinary processes to be rigorous and uncompromising. Officers of the court must be held to a higher standard, not a lower one,” the Chairperson added.
"The public must be reassured that the actions of one official will not derail our justice system.”
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CONSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MR XOLA NQOLA.
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