Ngcuka Denies Political Interference Regarding TRC Cases During NDPP Tenure – Xavier Radio Ug

Former National Director of Public Prosecutions, Bulelani Ngcuka, says he was never subjected to political interference with regards to Truth and Reconciliation (TRC) cases during his tenure.
Ngcuka, who held the office from 1998 to 2004, was democratic South Africa’s first NDPP and says he was committed to taking forward the investigation and prosecution of the TRC cases due to his own history.
Ngcuka was an apprentice to anti-apartheid lawyer Griffiths Mxenge before his assassination by the security branch in 1981.
He spent eight months in solitary confinement and was jailed for three years in 1982 for refusing to give evidence in the case of another comrade.
He says even if there had been an attempt to interfere with his work, he would have resisted it.
“This thing about political interference, it would happen if you allow it. If you allow it as national director, then of course there will be. But at the end of the day, what I’ve been saying is the decision is yours and yours alone. And you tell people, no, this is not how this is going to work. I mean, I can give you a number of examples about a number of other cases where people have tried to persuade me not to take action. Sending lawyers, advocates, making representations. Would those be non-TRC related cases? Yes, yes. But I was able to rebuff all those attempts and say no. So, it never happened during my time. If it had happened, I would have been able to say no, no, sorry – it’s not going to happen.”
Ngcuka adds that inadequate investigations resulting in poor prospects for prosecution is what led to the failure to prosecute the cases.
TRC Cases | Khampepe Commission of Inquiry – 02 March 2026: 

 
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