Heath's future is still uncertain

Judge Willem Heath is consulting his family and friends about his future after President Thabo Mbeki turned down a request by the controversial corruption-buster to resign from the judiciary.

On the advice of Justice Minister Penuell Maduna, Mbeki sent a letter to Judge Heath refusing his request to be discharged from active service as a judge. Judge Heath, who has been on long leave, is due to return at the end of this month but had hoped to leave the bench to become a private sector anti-corruption consultant.

The decision by Mbeki was made just weeks ahead of a planned request by Pan Africanist Congress MP Patricia de Lille for a judicial review of Mbeki's decision to exclude the special investigating unit, formerly headed by Judge Heath, from the arms deal investigation.

Acting on a Constitutional Court ruling, the national assembly has approved legislation barring a special investigating unit being headed by a judge.

This means that even should Mbeki's decision to exclude the unit be overturned, Judge Heath could not be involved in the arms deal probe because he would continue to be a judge.

Source: Cape Times

Willie Hofmeyr promoted

President Thabo Mbeki has approved the promotion of Assets Forfeiture Unit (AFU) head Willie Hofmeyr to Deputy National Director of Public Prosecutions, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said on Monday. Spokesperson Sipho Ngwema said Hofmeyr, 47, would no longer be involved in the day-to-day running of the AFU, but would guide policy formulation and would be involved in the strategic direction of the NPA as a whole. The move formed part of renewed efforts to boost the operations of the state prosecution service. "His expertise will, however, not be lost to the unit," Ngwema said. "He will still be helping out when necessary."

Ngwema said Hofmeyr would be replaced as Special Director of Public Prosecutions: Asset Forfeiture Unit by Advocate Juliana Galetlale Ouma Rabaji, 41.

Hofmeyr was the founding head of the AFU, an unit within the NPA. The AFU was created in May 1999 to confiscate the ill-gotten gains of criminals and give effect to the saying that "crime does not pay". Hofmeyr, an economist and lawyer by training, previously served as an African National Congress MP and Parliamentary Councillor to the President.

Rabaji was appointed a Deputy Director: Asset Forfeiture Unit in April last year. Between September last year and January she also acted as NPA chief executive officer. She was previously a regional manager at the Road Accident Fund and an advocate.

Source: News 24