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Andrea Johnson, embattled head advocate of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (Idac), has asked the national director of public prosecutions (NDPP) and President Cyril Ramaphosa that she be released from office with immediate effect, saying attacks against her have been “unprecedented”. Johnson is expected to resume her testimony on Monday at the Madlanga commission probing corruption allegations in the criminal justice sector. In gruelling sessions at the commission last week, Johnson was quizzed over her handling of controversial investigations and arrests involving top crime intelligence officers. “This is a difficult request to make given the absolute love and commitment I have had for the position of being investigating director of Idac,” she wrote in the letter, which Business Day has seen.“The recent five months or so have been challenging and the attacks on both my person and official capacity have been unprecedented.“Much of the attacks revolve and arise out of the cases Idac has conducted against officials of crime intelligence…. The attacks, in all its forms, [have] brought an extreme amount of negative attention not just to me, but to Idac and the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority].“Your excellency and NDPP, I am humbly requesting you to consider my application for resignation. Whilst my contract requires a three-month notice period, I would request both your considerations of an immediate release from office, thereby waving the notice period.” Johnson said the allegations against her must still be proven, “but that will again require the setting up of a commission and a process that is both costly and time consuming. The country cannot afford another commission.” “The NPA and Idac must and will always come first and I believe that this resignation in the manner proposed would serve the institutions and the country best.” NPA spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago told Business Day: “Yes, we have received the letter, and as the NDDP we are processing it.” Ramaphosa’s spokesperson Vincent Magwenya could not immediately be reached for comment.
