ABRAHAMS BETWEEN A ROCK & A HARD PLACE

When Shawn Abrahams was appointed national director of public prosecutions, I welcomed his appointment.  At the time I wrote: "At long last, a career prosecutor assumes the position . . . in contrast to previous political appointments".  However, recognising that naïveté can come back to haunt one, I concluded:  "In light of previous appalling incumbents , the appointment of Abrahams, although encouraging, must be viewed with some skepticism".

Others who commented on the appointment unequivocally rejected Abrahams as simply one more in a long line of Zuma lackeys.

Abrahams will now be put to the test following Pretoria's High Court decision on the dropping of charges against Zuma several years ago.  It now remains to be seen if Abrahams is, as he has repeatedly stated, his own man, mindful of faithfully carrying out his duties effectively and without favour.

The prosecuting authority's reputation is in tatters owing to political interference that has severely compromised its integrity.  Will political interference prevail, or will Abrahams have the independence and fearlessness he professes to reinstate charges against Zuma for corruption, fraud and racketeering?

On principle not a difficult decision, but a politically untenable one for Abrahams.