The Specialised Commercial Crimes Unit (SCCU) is under immediate internal investigation into its operations due to serious allegations of misconduct and serious case mishandling. Advocate Andy Mothibi, who was recently appointed as the national director of public prosecutions in South Africa, is leading the investigation from Johannesburg.
The probe commenced shortly after Mothibi took over as head of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), succeeding Shamila Batohi, the former NDPP. The examination was prompted by media coverage that brought attention to certain high-profile cases handled by the SCCU in Johannesburg as part of the Director of Public Prosecutions Gauteng Local Division.
Themba Mathibe, the head of the Johannesburg Development Agency (JDA), was allegedly named in a report that came out on 7 February 2026, leading NPA spokesman Kaizer Kganyago to announce that an internal investigation had been initiated. The SCCU may have intervened in a cash-in-transit robbery case, according to the report, which allegedly involved R2 million. Meanwhile, Kganyago claimed that the media’s claims were at odds with the official case docket, as revealed by the OEA’s preliminary investigation. “The details in the docket do not match the amounts mentioned in the article,” he stated after the investigation. “There is no evidence that R2 million was confiscated, and the actual amount seized during the operation was less than R500,000.” He continued by saying that the case was never formally enrolled since the SCCU primarily deals with the most complex and high-value commercial offences.
On January 28, 2026, the matter was instead transferred to the general courts and the Alexandra Magistrates’ Court was enrolled. Due to ongoing investigations, the case has been rescheduled for 2 June 2026, and a bond of R50,000 has been established. Kganyago claims that the Asset Forfeiture Unit is monitoring the matter closely and is conducting an aggressive investigation.
The internal investigation found that the same SCCU office was involved in multiple contentious cases. These included a corruption and fraud probe involving City Power Johannesburg, which was valued at R64 million, and a procurement case involving the Gauteng Shared Service Centre (GSSC), which was valued at R116 million, with charges allegedly dropped. Shoulder Pain Is Not Caused by Poor Sleeping Position. Kganyago stressed that prosecutors are carefully examining the evidence in light of the seriousness and complexity of the claims, and that investigations into these cases are continuing. Kganyago claims that mothibi place a premium on prosecutors’ moral behaviour and accountability.
“Without fear, favour, or prejudice, the NPA will continue to ensure that criminal cases are handled.” The integrity of the country’s criminal justice system depends on the investigation’s findings, which should indicate whether misconduct occurred and, if so, how to fix it.
