Batohi warns Idac mandate is making ‘certain people unhappy’

National director of public prosecutions advocate Shamila Batohi told parliament’s ad hoc committee investigating criminality in the justice system that the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac) is “clearly making certain people unhappy” by exercising its mandate.

Her disclosure underscored the political and institutional tension surrounding the unit as MPs concluded their hearings with heated exchanges about infiltration, oversight and systemic weaknesses.

Evidence leader Norman Arendse SC pressed Batohi on the arrest of crime intelligence head Lt-Gen Dumisani Khumalo and whether it had triggered Lt-Gen Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s public allegations. Batohi said she could not make the conclusion but acknowledged “there is certainly unhappiness about the head of crime intelligence being arrested”.

She said: “There are no turf wars, chair. It is Idac exercising its mandate, which clearly made people unhappy.”

Committee chair Soviet Lekganyane questioned whether Idac’s dual role of investigating and prosecuting was incubating tension with police. Batohi said the model was international best practice and lent itself to efficiency, even if it created friction. She confirmed an overseeing judge had been appointed to strengthen accountability, though the mechanism was not yet operational.

MK Party MP David Skosana invoked the Senzo Meyiwa murder case and repeated claims about a “rogue unit” within Idac. Batohi rejected the allegation, cautioning against making accusations without evidence.

“There is no rogue unit in Idac, and if he has any evidence, I would like that evidence.”