Pretorius, a seasoned advocate and former head of the legal team at the Zondo Commission, will be engaged as a consultant under Section 38 of the NPA Act. This provision allows the National Director of Public Prosecutions, in consultation with the Justice Minister, to appoint experts for specific cases.

His appointment has sparked debate over possible conflicts of interest. However, NPA spokesperson Mthunzi Mhaga dismissed such concerns, stating Pretorius would serve in an advisory role, not as a prosecutor.

Pretorius also defended his potential appointment, noting that the Zondo Commission’s regulations were amended to allow its legal team to join law enforcement efforts post-commission.

The move comes amid growing public frustration over the lack of high-profile prosecutions following the State Capture inquiry. Pretorius has previously highlighted the NPA’s resource and technology constraints as major hurdles in pursuing complex corruption cases.

The NPA hopes his expertise will boost its efforts to bring accountability in the wake of the commission’s findings.

--SABC/ChannelAfrica