The newly appointed head of the National Prosecuting Authority has vowed to defend the independence of the Scorpions and says he is "prepared for anything" when he takes over the politically pressured job in February.

Vusi Pikoli, whose appointment was announced on Friday night, is a lawyer and former ANC exile who is described by colleagues as "independent-minded" and "a brilliant strategist".

The former director-general of the Department of Justice will replace Bulelani Ngcuka, who resigned six months ago to go into business.

Ngcuka had come under immense pressure from the ANC and its allies over his investigation of the Deputy President and the Scorpions' probes into politically charged matters such as the Travelgate scandal.

Pikoli told the Sunday Times he was aware of the pressures he would face but would be his own man.

"I think it's a tough job — it's not going to be an easy job, I know that. I have got to make sure that I enforce the law and prosecute impartially and fairly," he said.

Among the first battles he may have to fight is an attempt by Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi and senior government figures to have the Scorpions fall under the police, a move that was fiercely resisted by Ngcuka.

Pikoli also starts his new job as the National Prosecuting Authority begins its prosecution of MPs implicated in Travelgate and as the Schabir Shaik trial nears its climax.

Pikoli got the job over the heads of acting NPA chief Silas Ramaite and other senior staff. He also beat political heavyweights such as former Limpopo Premier Ngoako Ramatlhodi, who was favoured by the ANC to take the job.

Yesterday, Pikoli said his appointment had come as a surprise.

"I was notified that I was being considered on January 1 by the President," he said. "I had not considered myself as an option for the job."

Pikoli, who left South Africa in 1980 after taking part in protests at Fort Hare University, served as a member of the ANC's legal department in Zambia.

He helped to prepare constitutional guidelines in 1987, and in 1994 he was appointed special adviser to the minister of justice, helping to lay the foundation of the new justice system.

Pikoli, 46, said his experience at the Justice Department would stand him in good stead as he had a broad understanding of law enforcement.

He said his main goals were to continue building public confidence in the criminal justice system and to make sure the NPA conducted effective prosecutions.

He said the Scorpions would remain under his control and not merge with the police.

"If changes were made, the legal framework would have to be looked at. But for now I am head of the whole of the NPA."

Commenting on the tensions between the police, the intelligence agencies and the Scorpions , he said: "The tension is normal. The Scorpions operate on the basis of prosecution-led and intelligence-driven investigation."

But he said that because the Scorpions dealt with "national crimes of an organised a nature", there needed to be a strong relationship with all law-enforcement agencies.

Government officials said it was well known that Selebi wanted to bring the Scorpions under the wing of the police because the unit has its own R345-million budget and also because its high-profile successes and its 93% conviction rate overshadow the less spectacular daily operations of the police.

Two senior justice officials told the Sunday Times that the unit would probably survive the attempts to take it over.

Sally de Beer, spokesman for Selebi's office, refused to comment and referred all inquiries to the justice minister's office.

Tensions between the police and the Scorpions led to President Thabo Mbeki intervening between Selebi and Ngcuka two years ago.

Yesterday, Pikoli's appointment drew applause from across the board. DA justice spokesman Sheila Camerer said her party was particularly pleased that Mbeki had opted against appointing a "high-profile ANC politician".

"Although we can't say his track record at justice was perfect, he has managed to do some good things. On his watch, a lot of progress was made in sorting out the department's accounts and finances. He has also made serious attempts at rooting out corruption," she said.

The leader of the Independent Democrats, Patricia de Lille, said she hoped the appointment would enable the NPA to "continue with the good work" it had been doing.

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said his only problem with Pikoli was that he is "too soft and too much of a gentleman".

"Ngcuka set a very high standard. He was more of an aggressive leader," Holomisa said.

Colleagues said Pikoli was likely to lower the profile of the Scorpions but he would defend the independence of the country's most successful crime-fighting unit.

With acknowledgements to Chantelle Benjamin, Sabelo Ndlangisa, Brendan Boyle, S'thembiso Msomi and the Sunday Times.