AfriForum confirmed on its website on Tuesday that it has signed up career prosecutor Advocate Gerrie Nel to head up its private prosecutions unit.
"I believe in the supreme authority of the law. AfriForum's newly founded private prosecuting unit gives me the opportunity to help ensure that justice triumphs from within civilian society, irrespective of the position of the person who is guilty of corruption. AfriForum and I are now in a position to prosecute ourselves corrupt persons who are not prosecuted by the NPA [National Prosecuting Authority]," said Nel on the non-profit organisation's website.
AfriForum identifies as an organisation "with the aim of protecting the rights of minorities".
News24 reported on Tuesday three sources confirmed that state advocate Nel would be joining AfriForum to pursue private prosecutions for them. The NPA confirmed that Nel had resigned on Monday. Nel gave 24 hours' notice of his resignation.
Nel was recently in the news for winning a murder conviction against Paralympian and Olympian Oscar Pistorius, who killed his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day in 2013.
Nel managed to overturn the verdict of culpable homicide against athlete, securing a guilty verdict of murder against Pistorius. The Blade Runner served one year in prison after the first conviction, but was sent back to serve six years.
Meanwhile, Pistorius's uncle Arnold, who was prosecuted by Nel during his nephew's trial, told TimesLive on Tuesday only a day labourer would resign with 24 hours notice.
AfriForum last year hired private investigator Paul O'Sullivan in October to conduct forensic investigations for them.
AfriForum has pushed the narrative of discrimination against white Afrikaners in South Africa, a claim that has been widely rubbished. They have taken footage of farm murders to the United Nations in an effort to get the concept wider recognition.