DA to table bill for establishment of ‘Scorpions 2.0’
Democratic Alliance MP Damien Klopper has launched a scathing attack on the National Prosecuting Authority for failing to prosecute key figures implicated in state capture and organised crime.
He cited the collapse of high-profile cases, including the Omotoso trial, the bungled Cholota extradition, and the NPA’s failure to implement several Zondo Commission recommendations, as proof of “a system in crisis”.
"Despite the NPA Amendment Act, which offered some progress, it is a temporary fix for a far greater issue,” Klopper said on Friday.
"The NPA lacks the skills, funding, and capacity needed to deliver justice."
Klopper argued that the legislation fails to address the institutional rot exposed during state capture, warning that the NPA’s lethargy continues to shield those responsible from accountability.
DA Proposes Bold Reforms Through “Scorpions 2.0”
DA MP and former prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach further outlined the party’s solution: a Private Members Bill known as the 21st Amendment Bill, which seeks to establish a fully independent Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
“The NPA is paralysed. Our ‘Scorpions 2.0’ Bill will restore the ability to investigate and prosecute serious corruption and high-level organised crime,” Breytenbach said.
Referencing the now-defunct Scorpions unit — once South Africa’s elite anti-corruption body — Breytenbach stated that the proposed commission would operate on a similar model but with one critical improvement: true independence from political influence.
She stressed that the new commission would not fall under a government department, allowing for independent funding, competitive salaries, and a recruitment strategy aimed at attracting top legal talent.
DA’s Anti-Corruption Reform Package Includes:
-Passing the Scorpions 2.0 Bill to create the ACC with full investigative and prosecutorial powers
-Constitutional amendment to ensure the NPA head is appointed by Parliament, not the President
-Watching brief programmes to monitor high-profile prosecutions
-A parliamentary oversight subcommittee to hold the NPA accountable
-Performance audits of the NPA by the Auditor-General or Public Service Commission
-Smarter recruitment and retention strategies for prosecutors
-Legal support programmes for students to strengthen court administration
"This isn’t just about institutional tweaks, these are real reforms with real benefits for South Africans who are tired of excuses and demand results.”
Urgent Action Needed
Breytenbach warned that at the current pace, it would take two decades to rebuild the NPA to a point where it could effectively prosecute state capture cases.
"We can’t wait 20 years for justice, the anti-corruption commission would be faster to staff, more agile, and not bogged down by the bureaucratic bottlenecks that cripple the NPA."
She urged Parliament to support the bill and restore public trust in the justice system.
"If you’ve lost faith in the justice system, we’re building one that delivers convictions, not excuses. Because right now, the system is broken,” she said.
The DA says its proposals are already enjoying public support, and the party hopes to table the legislation for debate in Parliament later this year.
