Free State's NPA Battles Budget Restraints and Staff Deficit

Advocating strongly for more staff to tackle the deficit of 39 employees, the Free State's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), is striving to keep its operation unaffected despite the challenges. Navilla Somaru, the province's Director of Public Prosecutions, expressed this during a recent briefing. The staff undersupply has pegged the vacancy rate to 11%, which is further aggravated by recent retirements, resignations, and extended sick leaves.

In spite of these rather grim prospects, Somaru affirmed that the prosecutorial service delivery has remained resilient. The prosecutors, though overburdened, are meeting the necessity of servicing every court and case effectively.

Resilience has also manifested in their performance based on record. Despite the prevailing hurdles, the NPA was successful in prosecuting various corruption cases in the Free State, surpassing the annual goal for convicting private sector corruption cases with 31 convictions against a target of 24. However, the target for convicting corrupt government officials missed the mark, with only 12 convictions out of a target of 21.

The forecast for staff recruitment appears hopeful. Somaru stated that the Free State saw an influx of aspiring prosecutors earlier this year, allowing the appointment of approximately 70 new prosecutors.

While the new recruits need training, their presence bolsters the NPA, enabling more proficient prosecutors to deal with regional and high court trials.

Nevertheless, the budget squeeze remains a stubborn adversary, compelling the NPA to halt the 2024 intake of aspiring prosecutors. The move triggered widespread disappointment. However, in the spirit of persistence, Somaru declared that the recruitment process would persist, prioritizing the most critical posts and filling others progressively as funds became available.

In a broader context, other significant government departments, like the SAPS, SANDF, and the South African Navy, are also wrestling with similar financial binds. Concurrently, infrastructural impediments pose additional struggles for the NPA, with poor infrastructure and rolling blackouts having severe impacts on court hours. Yet, the NPA and other stakeholders are collaborating to rotate court hours and staff, thereby keeping the wheels of justice turning.