Andrea Johnson returns to Madlanga Commission after President accepts her immediate resignation

Andrea Johnson, head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), has returned to the Madlanga Commission even after President Cyril Ramaphosa accepted her request to vacate office with immediate effect.

Presidency confirms immediate acceptance under NPA Act

The Presidency said on Monday that Ramaphosa accepted Johnson’s request to vacate office with immediate effect under Section 12(8)(a) of the National Prosecuting Authority Act. Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said the decision followed a recommendation by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi and was backed by National Director of Public Prosecutions acting successor Rodney de Kock Mothibi.

“President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 12(8)(a) of the National Prosecuting Authority Act of 1998 accepted the request by Adv. Andrea Johnson, the Investigating Director of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), is to vacate office with immediate effect,”

Return to the commission and ongoing inquiry

The report says Johnson has returned to the Madlanga Commission and that this will be her fourth day in the commission. Her resignation comes after months of controversy that intensified scrutiny of her leadership and raised concerns about reputational impact on both IDAC and the NPA.

The article notes that although allegations against Johnson are still being tested, the inquiry into her fitness to hold office is continuing.

Resignation letter and reasons given

In her resignation letter to National Director of Public Prosecutions acting successor Rodney de Kock Mothibi and President Ramaphosa, Johnson asked for her three-month contractual notice period to be waived. She described the past five months as “exceptionally difficult” and said that “relentless attacks linked to investigations involving South African Police Service Crime Intelligence officials had generated damaging publicity.”

“The attacks, in all their forms, have brought an extreme amount of negative attention not just to me, but to IDAC and the NPA,”

Johnson wrote that she “cannot be the reason that there is so much negative attention and reputational risk to IDAC and the NPA.”

Presidential acknowledgement

Magwenya said Ramaphosa thanked Johnson “for her years of service to the National Prosecuting Authority and for leading IDAC,” and reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting the NPA in its fight against crime and corruption.

What happens next

The source states that the resignation was formally submitted through the National Director of Public Prosecutions before it reached the President. Beyond that filing and the ongoing inquiry into Johnson’s fitness to hold office, no further steps or outcomes are detailed in the report.