A Director of Public Prosecutions heads the prosecution service in a High Court division, and there is one for each division. The National Director of Public Prosecutions heads the National Prosecuting Authority as a whole.
The decision whether to prosecute belongs to the prosecutor, not to the complainant. A complainant cannot compel a prosecution, and a case can be declined for lack of evidence even where the complainant is certain of what happened.
A decision not to prosecute can be reviewed. Representations may be made to the Director of Public Prosecutions, and beyond that to the National Director. Do it in writing, with the case number and the reason, and do it promptly.
This page covers how to contact the National Prosecuting Authority in South Africa. The details below were taken from the official National Prosecuting Authority contact page rather than from any third-party directory.
ContactDetails.co.za is an independent directory. We are not the National Prosecuting Authority and cannot act on your behalf. Everything on this page is a routing aid so you reach the right official channel quickly.
The National Prosecuting Authority contact numbers
These routes were verified against the official National Prosecuting Authority contact page on 22 August 2026. Contact numbers do change, so confirm on the official page before relying on one for anything urgent.
| What it is for | Contact |
|---|---|
| Head office switchboard | 012 845 6000 |
| Presidential Hotline | 17737 |
The head office is the Victoria and Griffiths Mxenge Building, 123 Westlake Avenue, Weavind Park, Silverton, Pretoria, 0184. The postal address is Private Bag X752, Pretoria, 0001.
The NPA decides whether to prosecute; it does not open cases. A crime is reported to the South African Police Service, which investigates and hands a docket to a prosecutor. If you want to know what is happening with a case, the investigating officer and the case number are the starting point, not the NPA switchboard.
Self-service options before you call
- Check the official site at npa.gov.za, which carries the current contact details and any online enquiry form.
- Calling outside peak times. Monday mornings and the hour after 17:00 are usually the worst for South African contact centres.
What to have ready before you call
- A clear one line summary of what you need resolved.
- Your account, order or reference number if you already have one.
- The identity document or account holder details, since most South African providers verify who you are before discussing an account.
- Dates, amounts and any error message exactly as it appeared.
- A pen and paper for the reference number. Ask for one every time, because without it a follow up call starts from nothing.
Following a criminal case
- The investigating officer is the person who knows where the case is, not the court and not the prosecutor’s switchboard. Get their name, station and contact details when you open the case.
- The case number is on the police statement you signed. Nothing can be traced without it.
- A complainant may ask to be kept informed of court dates and of bail proceedings, and may make representations about bail. Ask the prosecutor to record your contact details on the docket.
- A decision not to prosecute can be queried. Written representations may be made to the Director of Public Prosecutions for that division, and beyond that to the National Director.
- Where the accused is convicted and imprisoned, a victim may register with Correctional Services to be notified of and make representations at parole hearings.
A withdrawal statement is not a decision to stop a prosecution. The prosecutor decides whether to proceed, and in domestic violence and serious assault matters cases are frequently continued even when the complainant asks to withdraw.
Complaints and escalation
If a first call does not resolve the matter, escalate through the senior public prosecutor at that court first, then written representations to the Director of Public Prosecutions for the division, and beyond that to the National Director. A prosecutor’s decision is not a complaint about service, and it is reconsidered through representations rather than through a complaints line.
Keep a short written log of each contact: the date, the channel you used, the name of the agent and the reference number. Most prosecution complaint processes ask for exactly that history, and having it ready is usually the difference between a fast resolution and starting over.
Avoiding fake National Prosecuting Authority contact numbers
Contact details for well known South African brands are a common target for impersonation. Numbers that look official appear in search ads, social media replies and cloned websites, and the person answering is not the National Prosecuting Authority.
- Reach National Prosecuting Authority through the official site at npa.gov.za rather than through a number in a search advert or a social media reply.
- The National Prosecuting Authority will never ask you for your full card number, PIN, CVV, online banking password or a one time PIN. Nobody legitimate needs those to help you.
- Treat any caller who creates urgency, asks you to install remote access software, or asks you to move money to a safe account as fraudulent, and end the call.
- If you are unsure whether a call was genuine, hang up and dial the official number yourself rather than calling back a number the caller gave you.
Related contact pages
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Prosecuting Authority contact number?
The routes are listed in the table above, with what each one is for. The main route is 012 845 6000. Confirm it on npa.gov.za before relying on it, since numbers are changed from time to time.
How do I know a National Prosecuting Authority number is genuine?
Check it against the official site at npa.gov.za. A number that only appears in a search advert, a social media reply or a third-party directory should not be trusted for anything involving your account, your money or your identity document.
What should I do if nobody resolves my query?
Ask for the complaint reference and the escalation path on your first call, then follow the escalation route described above. Keep the dates, agent names and reference numbers, because every formal complaint process will ask for them.
Can ContactDetails.co.za resolve this for me?
No. We are an independent directory, not the National Prosecuting Authority, and we have no access to your account. Everything here is a routing aid so that you reach the correct official channel with the right information in hand.
Is there a cost to calling these numbers?
South African 0860 and 0861 numbers are charged at a share-call or standard rate depending on your provider, and 0800 numbers are toll free from a landline. Calls from a mobile are billed at your own operator’s rate, so check your plan if cost matters.
Contact routes on this page were checked against the official National Prosecuting Authority source on 22 August 2026. If you find a detail that has changed, the official source is always the authority.