Cape Town - The new director of public prosecutions in the Western Cape advocate Nicolette Bell says she intends to change things in the province using her wealth of experience to maintain her division’s position as the best performing in the country.
Bell, who is from Toekomsrus and has held a senior position at the Western Cape branch of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) for more than 17 years, said she was excited about finally being in the position after two years as acting director.
“As prosecutors, our work and the daily decisions we make have great impact on the lives of the community we serve. It is imperative that we live the values of the Constitution and NPA.”
Top of the list of issues Bell intends to tackle are delays in the criminal justice system. She said her division is planning to address head on the backlogs created by Covid-19.
“Delays are my biggest concern. We’re reaching our targets but the community is not concerned about that. They want to feel when they go to court that they’ve been assisted. When their matter is postponed, that they know the reason why, that the matter has been taken seriously. That is what we are seeking to improve – the experience.”
Bell became known for her work on the Dina Rodrigues trial, on which she led the prosecution to a successful conviction. She said the public played a huge supporting role during that time.
“The Rodrigues matter was big. We were surprised at how the community felt, and when we stepped out of court when we got a conviction, we got a standing ovation from the community. They felt it with us, and I think that was one of the first trials where the media was involved and reporting regularly,” Bell said.
She noted the criticism of the NPA, particularly a recent lecture series by Professor Lukas Muntingh, who critiqued the level of skills prosecutors possess.
“That is based on outdated data, and when it comes to sexual offences, we’ve got the expertise. There is no exodus, we’ve been doing lots of recruitment as well. I can comfortably say that we’ve got the necessary expertise.”
Bell said she hoped to inspire other women.
“The legal field requires hard work and dedication. We carry a huge responsibility to ensure that women, children and vulnerable members of society and society at large are treated fairly and equally.
“When we do our work conscientiously and we ensure that justice is served, we ensure that that society is a safe place for everyone. I would hope that my achievements would inspire other women and show them that they too can, through hard work and dedication, make a success of their careers,” she said.