Presidency to provide Cassim Inquiry closure reasons this week

The Cassim Inquiry to probe the fitness of National Director of Public Prosecutions Mxolisi Nxasana to hold office has been cancelled.

The chairman of the inquiry‚ Advocate Nazeer Cassim‚ said on Monday morning that he was contacted by the Presidency on Sunday night and he was “instructed” not to continue with the commission.

“The words that were said to me was to ‘cease the inquiry’. My mandate has been terminated.

“I am sorry to have brought you here this morning‚” Cassim said.

Cassim said he could not shed any light on why he had been asked not to continue the commission.

Inquiry spokesman Andile Tshona confirmed in a statement that the inquiry has been called off by the Presidency.

“The Presidency will clarify its decision during the course of the week‚” Tshona said.

Busani Mabunda Nxasana’s attorney said his client would wait for the president to make a statement regarding the issue before he commented.

“It would be inappropriate to make any comment until the president has made a statement‚” Mabunda said.

The inquiry was first announced in July last year after the government raised concern over Nxasana’s brushes with the law in the past. This included being tried for and acquitted of murder in 1985 and being convicted of assault twice.

The inquiry‚ which included advocates Lindi Nkosi-Thomas and Sthembiso Mdladla as additional members‚ was also tasked to look into whether Nxasana made media statements that could undermine or bring his office or the National Prosecuting Authority into disrepute.

Nxasana was appointed as national director of public prosecutions in August 2013.