Government does not intend proposing any amendments to the Constitution, regarding the appointment of the National Director of Public Prosecutions, President Jacob Zuma said on Monday.

“My Government and I believe that the existing Constitutional and legislative provisions for the appointment of the National Director of Public Prosecutions are adequate,” Zuma said in his oral reply to Parliament.

He said there are already various sections of the Constitution as well as national legislations that are dealing with the National Prosecuting Authority adequately.

He mentioned the Section 179(1)(a) of the Constitution which provides that there is a single national prosecuting authority, structured in terms of an Act of Parliament, and Section 179(6) of the Constitution  which provides that the Cabinet member responsible for the administration of justice must exercise final responsibility over the prosecuting authority.

Zuma also outlined that there is Chapter 3 of the National Prosecuting Authority Act, 1998 (Act No 32 of 1998), which provides for the appointment, remuneration and conditions of service of members of the Prosecuting Authority.

In addition, Parliament is playing its own role in terms of determining the terms of office, suspension and the removal of the NDPP head and its deputy.

“Therefore, I do not intend recommending any amendments to the present Constitution, 1996 for this purpose as I regard the present provisions to be more than adequate.”