Department of Justice Dismisses 54 Officials During 2024/25 Financial Year, SA Demands Arrests
- A total of 54 officials within the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development have been dismissed
- The dismissals come after the department conducted investigations into 164 labour relations matters
- South Africans expressed disappointment that the officials were only dismissed and not arrested as well
Source: Getty Images
Briefly News journalist Byron Pillay has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He spent ten years working for the Northern Natal Courier before transitioning to online journalism.
The Department of Justice and Constitutional Development is committed to cracking down on fraud, corruption, and incompetence among officials.
A total of 54 officials have already been dismissed during the 2024/25 financial year as the department cracks down on officials for various offences. These offences included cases of corruption and fraud.
Department dismisses 54 officials
Terence Manase, the Spokesperson for the Justice and Constitutional Development Minister, stated that during the current financial year, they had addressed 223 labour relations matters.
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The matters ranged from cases of corruption, maladministration, unauthorised absence, and abscondment. There were also charges of theft, damage to property, fraud, and dishonesty.
“Of these 223 matters, 164 have been finalised, with 54 officials dismissed. This clearly demonstrates the department’s firm stance against misconduct,” Manase said.
“Notably, 15 of the dismissals occurred between January and April 2025, reflecting a faster pace in addressing gross misconduct,” he added.
He added that 15 of these cases were referred for criminal investigation and prosecution.
Manase also explained that as a result of the 164 finalised cases, 41 officials were suspended and 15 had resigned. Four officials were acquitted of charges and four cases were withdrawn.
Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi welcomed the news, saying it served as a stern warning to others in the department who were taking chances. Kubayi became the new minister of the department after she replaced Thembi Simelane, who then became the new Minister of Human Settlements.
Source: Getty Images
It's not just the officials that the department has had difficulty with, there is also a problem with infrastructure. In February 2025, the state of some of the country's courts came under the spotlight over complaints of crumbling infrastructure and equipment shortages.
South Africans are still not impressed
Social media users weighed in on the news of the arrests, but were not entirely impressed by it.
John Bamber said:
“Knowing the ANC tactics, they will resurface in different departments.”
Meisie Els Engelbrecht stated:
“We want to see the arrested perpetrators in jail.”
Sandile Khabzela noted:
“Dismissed, but not arrested.”
Sizwe Magagula added:
“They are going to replace them with officials who are just as corrupt as those who left.”
Monty Morrison stated:
“Not good enough. They must be prosecuted and jailed. What is wrong with the judicial system in this country?”
Justice Minister opens criminal case
Briefly News reported on 31 March 2025 that Kubayi opened a criminal case after fake WhatsApp messages were leaked online.
The messages claimed that she permitted National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) officials to proceed with charges against Paul Mashatile.
South Africans speculated about the validity of the WhatsApp messages, with many saying it looked a bit too fake.
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Source: Briefly News
