The Gauteng High Court has dismissed the MK Party’s (MKP) attempt to prevent former National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Advocate Shamila Batohi from receiving her pension fund and other post-retirement benefits.
Image: Henk Kruger/ Independent Newspapers
The Gauteng High Court has dismissed the MK Party’s (MKP) attempt to prevent former National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP) Advocate Shamila Batohi from receiving her pension fund and other post-retirement benefits.
The court also ordered the party to pay the costs of the application, marking a clear legal victory for Batohi, IOL reported.
The MKP argued that the payment of public funds must be “lawful, rational and constitutionally defensible,” citing alleged “misconduct” by Batohi during her tenure as NDPP.
The party claimed these allegations warranted a halt to her pension and gratuities pending further investigation.
However, the claims were strongly contested by Batohi’s legal team, who described the application as “without merit” and an attempt to obstruct her lawful entitlements.
The matter was heard electronically, with the court swiftly rejecting the MKP’s part A application for an interim interdict.
In its ruling, the High Court made it clear that there was no legal basis to block Batohi’s post-service benefits, affirming the integrity of her claim to the pension.
Batohi, who served as NDPP with distinction, has been at the center of scrutiny over high-profile prosecutions and the handling of sensitive corruption cases during her term.
Critics, including the MKP, alleged procedural irregularities and mismanagement in some prosecutions.
This is a claim the court found insufficient to justify interfering with her pension.