South Africa Appoints Andy Mothibi as New National Director of Public Prosecutions

Natalie Nyathi

In a surprising turn of events, President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed Advocate Andy Mothibi as the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), effective February 1, 2026. The announcement, made on January 6, 2026, yesterday, marks a major change in leadership for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) as Mothibi replaces Advocate Shamila Batohi, who is retiring at the end of January.

Mothibi’s appointment comes as a surprise because he was not among the candidates interviewed for the NDPP position. President Ramaphosa had established a seven-person advisory panel in November to ensure an “open and transparent” selection process. Chaired by Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi, the panel interviewed six candidates in December. Those candidates included Advocate Nicolette Bell, Advocate Adrian Mopp, Andrea Johnson, Hermione Cronje, Advocate Xolisile Khanyile, and Advocate Menzi Simelane. However, in a surprising turn, “the panel advised the President that none of the interviewed candidates were suitable for the role of NDPP.”

Advocate Jan Lekgoa Andy Mothibi, the current head of the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), brings a wealth of experience to the role. According to the Presidency, Mothibi began his career as a public prosecutor in the Johannesburg and Soweto Magistrate’s and Regional Courts, and also served as a magistrate in those same courts. He has held various positions in both the public and private sectors, managing legal, compliance, and risk management operations, including at the South African Revenue Service (SARS) as Head of Corporate Legal Services and Head of Governance.

With Mothibi’s appointment as NDPP, a vacancy has been created at the SIU. President Ramaphosa has appointed Leonard Lekgetho, the SIU’s Chief Operations Officer, as the acting head of the unit, effective February 1, 2026. Lekgetho has over 22 years of experience in forensic investigations, including serving as a forensic investigator at the then Directorate of Special Operations, known as the Scorpions.

Shamila Batohi’s term as NDPP ends at the end of January 2026, after serving seven years in the position. While she is slated to be the first NDPP to leave without being removed, concerns about the integrity of the NPA arose during her testimony at the Nkabinde inquiry, which is examining the fitness of suspended Gauteng Director of Public Prosecutions Andrew Chauke to hold office.

Despite these challenges, President Ramaphosa thanked Batohi “for her service and contribution to the country’s prosecutions agency and wishes Advocate Batohi well in her future endeavours.”