Seasoned prosecutor Advocate Nicolette Bell has called for mandatory lifestyle audits and vetting for every public prosecutor.
She describes lifestyle audit as a critical tool to detect red flags and rebuild public confidence.
Bell said this as she was asked by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi during the high-stakes interview for the position of National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), set to become vacant in January 2026.
Key to detecting red flags
“Definitely minister! Someone told me not to forget to say it, the vetting and the lifestyle audit are key. That is where you will see the red flags. We fully support that,” Bell said.
With almost 30 years’ experience inside the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and public service, Bell was asked by political analyst Professor Somadoda Fikeni to reflect on the institutional culture she has witnessed through decades of transformation.
“There was the era of the dawn of democracy. And that is not because I was young. We were all excited and proud to be prosecutors, and we still are,” she stated.
While acknowledging low morale, safety fears and improved salaries, she insisted the commitment of frontline prosecutors remains the true face of justice.
Higher up the ranks, however, independence has repeatedly come under scrutiny.
NPA independence
“As you move up, there have been concerns about the independence of the NPA. There are robust discussions in the NPA of ‘are we ready to move in certain directions’? That is why I am consultative. I am concerned about the ones who are quiet. Why are we not hearing from you?” she added.
Bell cited past disagreements over the handling of Truth and Reconciliation Commission cases as examples of internal tension. But she emphasised that these were signs of a living institution rather than fatal division.
Kubayi asked her whether the NPA’s existing code of conduct is enough to counter public perceptions of corruption among some prosecutors.
“That is why we do not know who is making those complaints. Transparency helps in addressing those concerns,” she replied.
“We will not be defined by corruption in our country. It is unacceptable, it is wrong, especially for the youth and the unemployed.”
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