Warrant issued for prosecutor who missed Kwaggafontein bail hearing
The Mpumalanga prosecutor was suspended and faces disciplinary action after failing to appear in an extortion and money laundering case, Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi said.
A warrant of arrest has been issued for a prosecutor who failed to arrive at the Kwaggafontein Magistrates Court in Mpumalanga on Monday, 18 May 2026, the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development said.
The prosecutor was due in court for the continuation of a bail application in the matter of State versus Madoda Johannes Sibanyoni and Others, in which the accused face charges of extortion and money laundering. He did not appear, and the magistrate issued the warrant.
The National Prosecuting Authority has suspended the prosecutor pending the institution of appropriate disciplinary action, according to the department’s statement. Justice and Constitutional Development Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi welcomed the swiftness of that action.
What the minister said
Kubayi expressed disappointment and regret at how the events at the Kwaggafontein court unfolded.
“It is in the interest of justice that the accused persons are given an opportunity to respond to the charges brought against them in the court of law. Technical lapses of this nature, especially by state institutions, must be avoided so that the public does not lose confidence in our justice system,” she said.
The minister also called on the NPA to put systems and processes in place to ensure that such an incident does not happen again.
Why a missed appearance matters
Bail proceedings turn on whether an accused person is kept in custody or released while the case continues. When a prosecutor does not appear, the court cannot proceed as scheduled, and the accused are held in the system longer than the diary intended. That is the direct cost of Monday’s lapse at Kwaggafontein, and it falls first on people who have not yet had their day on the bail application.
The department’s statement is a summary of the day’s events rather than the court record itself. The warrant, the suspension and the disciplinary process are matters the NPA and the court now carry forward. The department has not said when the disciplinary action will begin or when the bail application will resume.
Media enquiries on the matter can be directed to Ms Palesa Rammitlwa, spokesperson to the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, on 064 933 3628.
The statement was issued by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Development of the Republic of South Africa and is published.
Source: Department of Justice and Constitutional Development. Read the original item.
