CAPE TOWN, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- President Cyril Ramaphosa will meet the deadline set by the Constitutional Court to appoint the head of South Africa's National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Presidency said on Sunday.
The advisory panel tasked with making recommendations to the president on suitable candidates for the NPA head has provided Ramaphosa with the names of five candidates, presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said.
Ramaphosa, who this week completed a three-nation working visit to the European Union and is currently attending an African Union summit in Ethiopia, will study the recommendations and make an appointment within the timeline directed by the Constitutional Court, Diko said.
The NPA, a critical law enforcement institution, has been without an effective leadership since August this year when the Constitutional Court declared "invalid and unconstitutional" the appointment of Shaun Abrahams as head of the NPA by then president Jacob Zuma.
Abrahams has been accused of inaction to prosecute those involved in alleged corruption scandals, including Zuma.
The court directed Ramaphosa to appoint a new NPA head within 90 days.
Ramaphosa appointed an advisory panel to identify and conduct interviews with individuals worthy of consideration to occupy the position of the NPA head.
Five nominees have been selected from 11 candidates who were interviewed -- with media present -- at the Union Buildings in Pretoria from Nov. 14 to Nov. 16, according to the Presidency.
Also on Sunday, Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, who leads the panel responsible for selecting the candidates, said the nomination of the five candidates reflected the confidence of the panel that the position of the NPA head would be filled by a fit and proper person, and reflected the depth of leadership capacity and legal excellence in South Africa's legal sector.
Radebe expressed the appreciation of the panel to all interviewees for availing themselves to serve in a nationally critical role and to do so in a public and transparent process.
