Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara has been appointed acting head of the Investigating Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC), following the resignation of former head Advocate Andrea Johnson.
Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi made the appointment in consultation with National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi.
Vanara will serve in the position until a permanent head is appointed and takes up the role with immediate effect. He will join IDAC on secondment from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), where he currently serves as Chief Legal Counsel.
A seasoned legal hand takes the reins
According to the Justice Ministry, Vanara brings more than 25 years of experience across state institutions, state-owned enterprises, Parliament and other highly regulated environments.
Before joining the SIU, he served as Group Executive: Legal, Governance and Regulatory at the SABC and held senior leadership positions at Parliament. His experience also includes pension fund, audit and risk, ethics and governance structures.
At the SIU, Vanara provides strategic legal leadership, with responsibilities covering civil litigation and asset recovery, corporate legal services, legal support for investigations and legal compliance management.
He holds a B Proc from Vista University as well as LLB and LLM qualifications from the University of the Free State.
Taking over after Johnson’s controversial exit
Vanara’s appointment comes at a sensitive time for IDAC, which has faced intense scrutiny following developments aired at the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry.
Johnson resigned from her position with immediate effect in July after facing questions around the directorate and its handling of certain investigations. President Cyril Ramaphosa accepted her resignation following a recommendation from Minister Kubayi, supported by Mothibi.
Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development welcomed Johnson’s departure at the time, while stressing the importance of ensuring that her exit did not weaken the work of the National Prosecuting Authority.
Committee chairperson Xola Nqola said they were confident Johnson would be replaced by “a capable South African” and expressed hope that “the might of justice” would not be weakened by her resignation.
Government promises a reset
The appointment also forms part of broader efforts to stabilise and strengthen IDAC after concerns about its functioning.
The Justice Ministry previously announced that a reset programme would include an audit of cases handled by IDAC, as well as reviews of human resources and financial management. The programme was expected to run for six months.
The government has stressed that IDAC remains an important part of South Africa’s fight against serious and complex corruption.
Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel recently said government could not ignore concerns emerging from the Madlanga Commission, warning against waiting until institutional problems become systemic. He said IDAC had been established permanently within the NPA because South Africa needed “specialised and durable capacity” to investigate serious and complex corruption.
Kubayi backs Vanara
Kubayi expressed confidence that Vanara would be able to steer the directorate during the transition.
The minister wished him well and said she had “full confidence” in his ability to carry out his responsibilities with integrity and conscientiousness.
The appointment comes after political pressure for government to fill the leadership vacuum. In August, DA justice spokesperson Glynnis Breytenbach criticised the delay, saying Kubayi had previously promised that an acting head would be appointed “within days”.
With Vanara now in the position, attention will turn to whether the experienced legal practitioner can help restore stability and public confidence in IDAC while the process to appoint a permanent head continues.
