Pretoria -The North Gauteng High Court on Wednesday dismissed an application by the Democratic Alliance to set aside President Jacob Zuma's appointment of Advocate Menzi Simelane as the National Director of Public Prosecutions.
The President appointed Advocate Simelane as the National Director for Public Prosecutions effective from 1 December last year. He had been serving as the Deputy National Director for Public Prosecutions and took over from Acting National Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Mokotedi Mpshe.
At the time, Zuma said Advocate Simelane's experience as the administrative head of the Justice and Constitutional Affairs Department and in the legal fraternity provided him with the necessary skills and capacity to perform his functions efficiently and effectively.
The court decision has been welcomed by government.
In a statement, government spokesperson Themba Maseko said the court judgment clears the way for Advocate Simelane to continue focusing on his duties which are crucial to the effective functioning of the criminal justice system.
"The National Director of Public Prosecutions plays an important role in our fight against crime and this judgement allows Advocate Simelane to continue on the immediate task at hand of fighting corruption and crime," said Maseko.
