The Democratic Alliance (DA) on Friday urged Parliament to support its reforms to turn around what it labelled South Africa’s “broken” National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

DA spokesperson on Justice and Constitutional Development advocate Glynnis Breytenbach said the party’s reform package included passing a “Scorpions 2.0” Bill to create an independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) with the power to investigate and prosecute high-level corruption, free from political interference.

Breytenbach noted that the NPA had “failed” to secure a single successful prosecution of a politically connected figure implicated in State capture.

“…cases like the Vrede Dairy scandal, the Zizi Kodwa debacle, and the Transnet corruption trial have all collapsed due to incompetence, poor preparation, or basic procedural errors,” she said.

She believes that the system is broken, highlighting that earlier this year, the case against rape-accused pastor Timothy Omotoso was exposed in Parliament as a complete shambles, riddled with basic errors that led to an entirely foreseeable acquittal.

She further noted the high-profile State capture matter involving former Free State Premier Ace Magashule’s former PA Moroadi Cholota, saying the NPA bungled the extradition request by using the wrong authority.

“…a mistake that now risks derailing accountability in yet another major case,” she explained.

Breytenbach said the DA’s proposed reform would amend the Constitution to ensure the head of the NPA was appointed by Parliament – not the President – following a transparent and rigorous vetting process.

It would also launch a watching brief programme to monitor high-stakes prosecutions and improve outcomes, as the DA had already done successfully in the Western Cape, she explained.

She noted that the reform would introduce a dedicated parliamentary oversight subcommittee to keep the NPA accountable.

The reform will demand a performance audit of the NPA by the Auditor-General or Public Service Commission, while also fighting for better funding, smarter recruitment, and stronger retention of experienced prosecutors.

“Even routine prosecutions are slipping through the cracks, with private groups like AfriForum succeeding where the State fails. South Africans are paying the price while the corrupt continue to walk free,” she said.

She noted that the DA would also pilot a student legal support programme to assist with court administration and fast-track young talent into the justice system.

“If you’ve ever felt like corruption goes unpunished, these reforms will mean real consequences for the looters who stole from you. If you’ve lost faith in the justice system, we are fighting to build a system that works – one that delivers convictions, not excuses,” she said.