Head of the Investigating Directorate against Corruption (IDAC), Andrea Johnson. (Ditiro Selepe/News24)
The Investigating Directorate against Corruption (IDAC) is now a permanent anti-graft structure after long-awaited regulations were gazetted on Monday.
The publishing of these regulations, as part of the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Act, comes more than five years after the ID was established by presidential proclamation.
A News24 investigation published last week set out how, without permanence, the directorate was hamstrung in its pursuit of state capture crooks.
Up until now, the ID was a temporary, underfunded structure, unable to appoint critically needed investigators to join those who have worked since its establishment, albeit with limited powers.
Now the body will no longer rely on secondments for staffing and will be able to recruit permanent staff and invest in long-term training.
IDAC head Advocate Andrea Johnson said the move was one in the “right direction”.
President Cyril Ramaphosa established the ID by proclamation in March 2019 specifically to investigate corruption-related crimes unearthed by the State Capture Inquiry, as well as the commissions into the South African Revenue Service and the Public Investment Corporation.
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In his 2023 State of the Nation Address, Ramaphosa said the ID would be made permanent.
Ramaphosa then signed the NPA Amendment Act shortly before the election in May, but the act was not gazetted and was not operational.
The responsibility to finalise regulations to guide the act sat with former justice minister Ronald Lamola, before he left his position, and since then with Justice Minister Thembi Simelane.
At a press briefing last week, Simelane said: “This will enhance our capacity to combat complex corruption, implement decisions from commissions of inquiry, and uphold the recommendations of the state capture commission.”
