The Honourable
Glynnis Breytenbach
MP
Shadow Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development
Assumed office
5 December 2020[1]
DeputyWerner Horn
LeaderJohn Steenhuisen
Preceded byOffice established[1]
In office
5 June 2014[2] – 5 June 2019[3]
DeputyWerner Horn
LeaderMmusi Maimane
Preceded byDene Smuts
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Shadow Minister of Justice and Correctional Services
In office
5 June 2019[3] – 5 December 2020[1]
DeputyWerner Horn
LeaderMmusi Maimane
John Steenhuisen
Preceded byOffice established
Succeeded byOffice abolished
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa
Assumed office
21 May 2014
ConstituencyGauteng
Personal details
Born (1960-08-09) 9 August 1960 (age 63)
NationalitySouth African
Political partyDemocratic Alliance
Alma materUniversity of South Africa
Occupation
  • Prosecutor
  • advocate
  • politician
  • legislator
  • author
ProfessionLawyer

Glynnis Breytenbach (born 9 August 1960, /ˈbreɪtɛn ˈbʌx/) is a former prosecutor for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) of South Africa and a Member of Parliament for the Democratic Alliance (DA).[4] She is South Africa's Shadow Minister of Justice.[5] In this capacity, she has called for an end to ongoing political interference that has compromised the integrity of the NPA.[6][7][8][9] Her protracted dispute with the NPA over her suspension in 2012 from its Specialised Commercial Crime Unit was covered extensively in the media. In 2017, she published a memoir, Rule of Law,[10] and in 2018 was shortlisted for the National Director of Public Prosecutions post at the NPA, but later withdrew her candidacy.[11]

Departure from the NPA

In April 2012, acting National Director of Public Prosecutions Nomgcobo Jiba suspended Breytenbach from her position as a regional head at the NPA's Specialised Commercial Crime Unit (SCCU), on the basis of a complaint laid by a company called Imperial Crown Trading. Breytenbach has claimed that she was suspended because she had pursued the prosecution of Richard Mdluli, former head of the police's Crime Intelligence Division, on fraud and corruption charges.[12][13] The charges against Mdluli were dropped by Lawrence Mrwebi, the head of the SCCU, a decision which was later found to have been unlawful.[14]

Disciplinary proceedings, which at Breytenbach's request were open to the media, cleared Breytenbach of any wrongdoing in May 2013, a year after she was suspended.[15] In the interim, she had unsuccessfully challenged her suspension at the Public Service Bargaining Council and in court.[16][17] She was also acquitted of multiple criminal charges relating to documents which she had accidentally deleted from her work computer.[18] However, after unsuccessfully challenging her subsequent transfer out of the SCCU,[19] she resigned from the NPA in January 2014,[12][20] joined the DA shortly afterwards,[21][22] and was sworn in as a Member of Parliament that May.[4] In February 2014, she reached a settlement with the NPA on all outstanding labour disputes.[23]

References

  1. ^ a b c The DA’s new Shadow Cabinet ready to make Parliament work for the people. Retrieved 5 Fevbruary 2021.
  2. ^ The DA's shadow cabinet - Mmusi Maimane. Retrieved 5 February 2021
  3. ^ a b Here's the DA's 'shadow cabinet'. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b Ferreira, Emsie (21 May 2014). "Glynnis Breytenbach sworn in as MP". IOL. SAPA. Archived from the original on 24 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  5. ^ "DA announces 'shadow cabinet'". Times LIVE. SAPA. 5 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  6. ^ "Interference by political bosses is the NPA's undoing". The Times. 29 May 2013. Archived from the original on 7 May 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  7. ^ "DA calls for MPs to investigate NPA head". Mail & Guardian. SAPA. 11 June 2014. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  8. ^ "Political interference blamed for NPA's woes". SABC News. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  9. ^ Breytenbach, Glynnis (15 July 2014). "The NPA's reputation is in tatters (Speech by the DA's Shadow Minister of Justice, Glynnis Breytenbach MP during the budget vote debate on Justice, Parliament, July 15, 2014)". Politicsweb. Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
  10. ^ "Rule of Law by Glynnis Breytenbach". Pan Macmillan South Africa. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  11. ^ Merten, Marianne (14 November 2018). "Glynnis Breytenbach: Decision to withdraw from 'dream job' made easier due to other competent candidates". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  12. ^ a b Mabasa, Nkateko (29 January 2019). "Mokgoro Inquiry: Breytenbach tells of days of darkness at NPA". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  13. ^ Wiener, Mandy (18 January 2013). "#SAsMostComplicatedStoryYou ShouldCareAbout". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  14. ^ Bateman, Barry (29 January 2019). "Breytenbach says there was strong case against Mdluli". EWN. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  15. ^ Wiener, Mandy (27 May 2013). "After NPA's epic loss, Glynnis Breytenbach must return to ALL her cases". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Breytenbach's NPA suspension challenge dismissed". The Mail & Guardian. 18 July 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  17. ^ Hosken, Graeme (29 May 2013). "NPA still fights to get Glynnis fired". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  18. ^ "I deleted files to protect my privacy: Glynnis Breytenbach tells court". IOL. 9 October 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  19. ^ "Court throws out Breytenbach's bid to get her old NPA job back". The Mail & Guardian. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  20. ^ "Breytenbach trades NPA for DA parliamentary spot". The Mail & Guardian. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Breytenbach resigns from NPA and joins DA". EWN. 26 January 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  22. ^ "Glynnis Breytenbach accused of fraud, corruption". The Mail & Guardian. 2 February 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  23. ^ "Breytenbach, NPA reach 'amicable settlement' on labour issues". The Mail & Guardian. 6 February 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2021.

Offices held

Political offices Preceded byOffice established South African Shadow Minister of Justice 2020–present Incumbent Preceded byDene Smuts South African Shadow Minister of Justice 2014–2019 Succeeded byOffice abolished Preceded byOffice established South African Shadow Minister of Justice and Correctional Services 2019–2020 Succeeded byOffice abolished



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