Finding a permanent replacement for Andrea Johnson’s position as head of the Independent Directorate Against Corruption (IDAC) falls on the President. In the interim, Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi must fill the vacancy with an acting head.
On 30 July 2026, the Minister promised to appoint an acting head to IDAC “within days”. Three weeks later she is yet to act. This showcases the Minister’s lack of urgency in the fight against corruption.
While the directorate tasked with fighting corruption remains rudderless, criminals loot municipal budgets with abandon. Residents are the ultimate victims of corruption, and the Minister’s inaction in finding an interim replacement for Andrea Johnson delays the fight of getting municipalities working for all.
IDAC needs a capable acting leader to fulfill the Directorate’s mandate until our Anti-Corruption Commission Bill comes into operation. Our Bill is currently before Parliament and will create an independent corruption-busting body with the power to investigate and prosecute corruption. It will operate free from any form of political influence, similar to a Chapter 9 institution. Less than two years after its inception, IDAC has proved to be anything but independent, and our Bill provides a long-term solution to the Directorate’s failings.
Minister Kubayi has failed to act on her promise to fill the position with urgency. In doing so, she ignores the plight of millions of South Africans who live in broken ANC municipalities plagued by corruption.
Fighting corruption puts water in your tap. It keeps the lights on. It fixes roads, cleans your town and keeps you safe.
The DA is serious about fighting corruption and getting your municipality working. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the ANC.