Mkhwebane perjury case postponed to March

The Pretoria Magistrate’s Court has postponed the case of perjury against Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to March 25, 2021.

Mkhwebane appeared on Thursday morning on three charges of perjury relating to a damning Constitutional Court ruling against her which found she may have been biased in her investigation into the Absa-Bancorp matter.

The ConCourt found that Mkhwebane had put forward a number of falsehoods in her 2017 Absa-Bancorp report, in which she found that Absa must repay R1.1 billion to the Reserve Bank for the “lifeboat” lending agreement between the Bank and the then Bankorp, which was later taken over by Absa.

Head of Accountability Now Paul Hoffman laid criminal charges against Mkhwebane in 2019 after the ConCourt judgment.

The state and defence reached mutual agreement on the postponement.

Magistrate Adriaan Bekker says the postponement is to allow for the parties to sort out any pre-trial issues.

#Mkhwebane Public Protector @AdvBMkhwebane in court for her three counts of perjury charges. She is currently on sabbatical leave since 15th of Jan until 31st March 2021. Deputy PP Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka is now acting Public Protector. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/e40bMmyIvG

— Sipho Stuurman (@Sipho_Stuurman) January 21, 2021

#Mkhwebane PP @AdvBMkhwebane faces three counts of perjury. This is her first court appearance. She is represented by @AdvDali_Mpofu #SABCNews pic.twitter.com/TxQWpItsrl

— Sipho Stuurman (@Sipho_Stuurman) January 21, 2021

#Mkhwebane Public Protector @AdvBMkhwebane has taken sabbatical leave while she deals with her perjury case. She’s been on leave since 15th of Jan until 31st March 2021. Deputy PP Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka is now acting Public Protector. #sabcnews pic.twitter.com/c1KU4xJ58K

— Sipho Stuurman (@Sipho_Stuurman) January 21, 2021

Mkhwebane on Absa-Bancorp loan:

PP @AdvBMkhwebane to cooperate with authorities on perjury charges pic.twitter.com/xlZh3r3V4r

— Public Protector SA (@PublicProtector) December 18, 2020

Absa-Bancorp report: