South Africa’s highest court will rule this morning on whether advocate Shaun Abrahams may continue to lead the National Prosecuting Authority‚ or must vacate his office.

President Cyril Ramaphosa identified “leadership issues” at the NPA among his administration’s key concerns in his first state of the nation address‚ but has been hamstrung in addressing these issues because of this outstanding judgment – a ruling that will determine whether Abrahams was properly appointed.

The Constitutional Court has to decide whether the R17.3m “golden handshake” deal that then president Jacob Zuma gave to former NPA head Mxolisi Nxasana to vacate his post – and which Zuma admitted was unlawful – meant that the subsequent appointment of Abrahams was also invalid.

The court has taken 166 days to make that decision‚ leading to widespread speculation that the justices hearing the matter were split in their ruling.

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