Interviews to select the new National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) will take place from 10 to 11 December 2025 at the Auditor General South Africa Offices in Lynnwood Bridge Office Park, Pretoria.
The position becomes vacant in January 2026 following the retirement of the current NDPP, Advocate Shamila Batohi. Batohi will be the first NDPP since the NPA’s establishment in 1998 to complete a full term without being prematurely removed or asked to step down. This marks a significant moment for an institution that has faced considerable instability at its leadership level.
The Advisory Panel responsible for recommending a candidate to the President is chaired by the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mmamoloko Kubayi. The panel will interview six shortlisted candidates who met the minimum requirements for the position.
The shortlisted candidates are:
• Advocate Nicolette Astraid Bell
• Advocate Hermione Cronje
• Advocate Andrea Johnson
• Advocate Xolisile Khanyile
• Advocate Adrian Mopp
• Advocate Menzi Simelane
The NDPP serves as the head of the NPA and is responsible for overseeing all prosecutions in the country, including commercial crime and anti-corruption matters. The President appoints the NDPP after considering the advisory panel’s recommendations and following a public participation process.
Civil society organisations, including Freedom Under Law, have raised concerns regarding the inclusion of Advocate Menzi Simelane on the shortlist. Simelane was appointed as NDPP in 2009, but the Constitutional Court later set aside his appointment, finding the decision irrational in light of the Ginwala Inquiry’s findings regarding his conduct.
The next NDPP will inherit an institution that remains central to the fight against corruption, institutional accountability and the broader project of rebuilding trust in the criminal justice system.
