By Akani Nkuna
The advisory panel chaired by Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi has shortlisted six candidates for South Africa’s next National Director of Public Prosecutions (NDPP), after screening 32 applications.
The panel was appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to assist with the selection process.
After a decision to extend the timeline and “broaden the pool of potential candidates”, a call for nominations was issued via the Legal Practice Council to legal bodies across the profession, the Justice Ministry said.
One of the shortlisted candidates is Advocate Nicolette Astraid Bell, Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). She has previously served as Acting Director of Public Prosecutions in the province, Senior Deputy Director and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in Cape Town, as well as Senior State Advocate and State Advocate in Johannesburg.
Advocate Hermione Cronje is currently a freelance international anti-corruption and asset recovery specialist, working with international development institutions and South African civil-society organisations. Her past roles include Investigating Director at the NPA, senior positions in the Asset Forfeiture Unit, professional assistant to the NDPP and researcher to Parliament’s Select Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development.
Advocate Andrea Johnson serves as Investigating Director at the NPA. She has held a series of senior prosecutorial roles, including Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Deputy Director at the Directorate of Special Operations and National Coordinator for Organised Crime, after starting her career as a prosecutor at the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development.
Advocate Xolisile Jennifer Khanyile, chair of the Global Coalition to Fight Financial Crime, brings experience as Director of the Financial Intelligence Centre and former Director of Public Prosecutions in the Free State. Earlier in her career, she worked as a district court prosecutor, control prosecutor in Madadeni and regional court control prosecutor in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
Advocate Adrian Carl Mopp is Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions in the Western Cape. His previous roles include Regional Head and Deputy Regional Head for Special Operations in the province, senior positions in the Asset Forfeiture Unit and earlier work as a public prosecutor, candidate attorney and detective in the South African Police Service.
The sixth candidate, Advocate Menzi Simelane, currently practises with the Johannesburg Society of Advocates. He has previously served as National Director of Public Prosecutions, Director-General of the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, Chief Legal Counsel at the Competition Commission and Special Adviser to Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. His 2009 appointment as NDPP was later declared invalid and set aside by the courts.
The advisory panel has invited comments from interested persons and institutions on the suitability of the six candidates.
Submissions must be sent to NDPPpanel@justice.gov.za by 5 December 2025. Interviews are expected to take place on 10 – 11 December 2025, after which the panel will recommend a candidate to the President for appointment.
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