- Vanara brings more than 25 years of legal, governance and regulatory leadership to IDAC.
- He assumes the role in an acting capacity on secondment from the Special Investigating Unit.
- The NPA says his appointment strengthens the directorate’s anti-corruption mandate.
The Investigating Directorate Against Corruption’s (IDAC) new Acting Head will bring more than 25 years of legal, governance and regulatory leadership to South Africa’s anti-corruption fight.
Advocate Ntuthuzelo Vanara officially assumed the role on Monday, 7 September 2026, after being sworn in by Judge President Aubrey Ledwaba of the Gauteng Division of the High Court at the High Court in Pretoria. He will lead the specialised anti-corruption directorate in an acting capacity until a permanent head is appointed.
Vanara takes over from Advocate Andrea Johnson, who resigned as Head of IDAC in July 2026 amid scrutiny at the Madlanga Commission. He will lead the directorate in an acting capacity until a permanent head is appointed.
A career built across South Africa’s key institutions
Vanara is a senior executive and accomplished legal, governance and regulatory leader whose career has been shaped in some of the country’s most complex and highly regulated environments.
He previously served as Group Executive for Legal, Governance and Regulatory at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and held earlier senior leadership roles within the Parliament of South Africa. His experience also includes pension fund governance, audit and risk management, ethics and broader corporate governance structures.
He holds a B Proc qualification from Vista University, along with LLB and LLM degrees from the University of the Free State.
SIU experience aligns with IDAC’s mission
Before joining IDAC, Vanara served as Chief Legal Counsel at the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), providing strategic leadership across the organisation with a focus on civil litigation, asset recovery, corporate legal services, legal support to investigations and legal compliance management.
His appointment to IDAC comes on a secondment basis, with immediate responsibility for leading the directorate’s investigative and prosecutorial work against serious corruption.
Sworn in and welcomed by the NPA
Following the swearing-in, National Director of Public Prosecutions Advocate Andy Mothibi led the official handover and welcome session, introducing Vanara to IDAC’s executive leadership and operational staff.
Speaking during the engagement, Mothibi said IDAC plays an essential role in restoring public confidence in the fight against corruption and reaffirmed the National Prosecuting Authority’s commitment to supporting the directorate’s investigative and prosecutorial mandate.
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