Public Interest SA asks Legal Practice Council to suspend IDAC head Andrea Johnson after Madlanga testimony

Public Interest SA has lodged a formal complaint with the Legal Practice Council and asked that Advocate Andrea Johnson, head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), be suspended pending disciplinary proceedings after evidence given at the Madlanga Commission raised questions about her fitness to hold office and the integrity of ongoing investigations.

Complaint and calls for suspension

The civil society organisation said it filed the complaint on Wednesday, seeking a disciplinary investigation into Johnson’s conduct.

“The complaint raises serious concerns regarding Johnson’s fitness to continue practising as a legal practitioner and serving as South Africa’s foremost anti-corruption prosecutor,”

Public Interest SA said, arguing that aspects of her conduct are incompatible with legal ethical obligations and the standards expected of the head of a specialised anti-corruption prosecuting body.

Allegations from Madlanga Commission testimony

Public Interest SA told the Legal Practice Council that evidence heard before the commission included what it described as “damning concessions” by Johnson. The organisation cited testimony it said showed that protected disclosures in a criminal matter involving a senior SAPS Crime Intelligence officer were unlawfully disclosed, potentially compromising the reporting process.

The group said Johnson invoked her right against self-incrimination during the commission proceedings.

Prosecution of Brigadier Dineo Mokwele

The complaint also criticised Johnson’s handling of the prosecution of Brigadier Dineo Mokwele and other senior Crime Intelligence officers. The commission heard that Johnson approved a fraud and corruption prosecution against Mokwele without reviewing her CV or verifying her qualifications.

Johnson told the commission:

“I relied on the briefing from my team. The facts I received then were incorrect.”

The commission record states that Mokwele holds a National Diploma in Mechatronics Engineering, a Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering and is studying towards an MBA. The organisation said Johnson had admitted she was unaware of some of these qualifications.

Broader concerns and requests to authorities

Public Interest SA urged National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi to consider representations from the accused and to determine whether continuing the prosecution is consistent with the constitutional duty to pursue justice.

The organisation also said it would request that the State Security Agency review Johnson’s security vetting and revoke any Top Secret clearance she holds, where appropriate and lawful.

Public Interest SA acknowledged that Johnson’s testimony before the commission had not concluded but said the seriousness of the evidence already heard required immediate action. The organisation called for “appropriate precautionary measures, including the immediate suspension of Advocate Johnson pending the outcome of the relevant investigations and proceedings.”

Related allegations of interference

The complaint and commission testimony link to earlier allegations about Johnson’s conduct. The article records that the allegations stem from an assault and intimidation case opened in 2018 against suspended Crime Intelligence Major General Feroz Khan by another police officer, and that Johnson, then a senior prosecutor, has been accused of interfering in that investigation.

Retired Hawks investigator Colonel Kobus Roelofse told the inquiry he had been informed that Johnson intervened, an assertion Public Interest SA says fuels claims the investigation was improperly influenced.

Witnesses labelled N and O also gave evidence about IDAC’s conduct and its handling of Crime Intelligence-related investigations; parts of their testimony were heard in camera after the commission ruled public proceedings could compromise ongoing investigations and endanger those involved.

Previous admissions and continuing scrutiny

Public Interest SA noted earlier testimony in which Johnson had, under oath before the commission, a parliamentary ad hoc committee and a 2025 interview panel, admitted she acted unethically by failing to recuse herself from a selection panel that interviewed her husband, Junaid Johnson, for a position within the now-defunct Scorpions. “These developments, taken together, substantially reinforce concerns previously raised regarding prosecutorial impropriety in the matter,” the organisation said.

The organisation told the Legal Practice Council and other authorities that immediate action is required to preserve public confidence and the integrity of ongoing prosecutions and investigations.