Glynnis Breytenbach
Glynnis Breytenbach MP | |
---|---|
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Shadow Minister of Justice | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office 5 December 2020[1] | |
Leader | John Steenhuisen |
Preceded by | Office established[1] |
In office 5 June 2014[2] – 5 June 2019[3] | |
Leader | Mmusi Maimane |
Preceded by | Dene Smuts |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
Shadow Minister of Justice and Correctional Services | |
In office 5 June 2019[3] – 5 December 2020[1] | |
Leader | Mmusi Maimane→John Steenhuisen |
Preceded by | Office established |
Succeeded by | Office abolished |
Member of the National Assembly of South Africa | |
Incumbent | |
Assumed office 21 May 2014 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 9 August 1960 |
Nationality | South African |
Political party | Democratic Alliance |
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 the 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[]
- ^ a b c The DA’s new Shadow Cabinet ready to make Parliament work for the people. Retrieved 5 Fevbruary 2021.
- ^ The DA's shadow cabinet - Mmusi Maimane. Retrieved 5 February 2021
- ^ a b Here's the DA's 'shadow cabinet'. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ a b Ferreira, Emsie (21 May 2014). "Glynnis Breytenbach sworn in as MP". IOL. SAPA. Archived from the original on 19 July 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- ^ "DA announces 'shadow cabinet'". Times LIVE. SAPA. 5 June 2014. Archived from the original on 6 June 2014. Retrieved 18 July 2014.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Political interference blamed for NPA's woes". SABC News. 26 June 2014. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Rule of Law by Glynnis Breytenbach". Pan Macmillan South Africa. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Merten, Marianne (2018-11-14). "Glynnis Breytenbach: Decision to withdraw from 'dream job' made easier due to other competent candidates". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b Mabasa, Nkateko (2019-01-29). "Mokgoro Inquiry: Breytenbach tells of days of darkness at NPA". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ Wiener, Mandy (2013-01-18). "#SAsMostComplicatedStoryYou ShouldCareAbout". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ Bateman, Barry (2019-01-29). "Breytenbach says there was strong case against Mdluli". EWN. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Wiener, Mandy (2013-05-27). "After NPA's epic loss, Glynnis Breytenbach must return to ALL her cases". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Breytenbach's NPA suspension challenge dismissed". The Mail & Guardian. 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ Hosken, Graeme (2013-05-29). "NPA still fights to get Glynnis fired". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "I deleted files to protect my privacy: Glynnis Breytenbach tells court". IOL. 2017-10-09. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Court throws out Breytenbach's bid to get her old NPA job back". The Mail & Guardian. 2013-07-19. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ "Breytenbach trades NPA for DA parliamentary spot". The Mail & Guardian. 2014-01-26. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ "Breytenbach resigns from NPA and joins DA". EWN. 2014-01-26. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Glynnis Breytenbach accused of fraud, corruption". The Mail & Guardian. 2014-02-02. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
- ^ "Breytenbach, NPA reach 'amicable settlement' on labour issues". The Mail & Guardian. 2014-02-06. Retrieved 2021-12-02.
Offices held[]
- Living people
- Prosecutors
- Democratic Alliance (South Africa) politicians
- Members of the National Assembly of South Africa
- South African women lawyers
- 21st-century South African women politicians
- 21st-century South African lawyers
- Women members of the National Assembly of South Africa
- 21st-century women lawyers
- 1960 births
- South African politician stubs