Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has re-iterated the statement put out by her on Thursday night saying she was not even informed by the Speaker of the National Assembly about the decision to start the impeachment process against her.
Legal analyst Sinawo Makangela on Mkhwebane’s possible suspension:
She has however confirmed receiving a letter from President Cyril Ramaphosa to provide him with reasons within 10 days, not to suspend her.
“We still in the process of the rescission [application] of the Constitutional Court judgment, so there is that process and I am consulting my legal team to chart the way forward on the matter. As you know the matter is before court and we will indeed deal with it and respond to the President accordingly.”
Political parties react
The Congress of the People (COPE) has called on President Ramaphosa to suspend Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane without delay. The party was reacting to the announcement by Ramaphosa that he had written to Mkhwebane asking her to explain why she should not be suspended.
COPE spokesperson Dennis Bloem says, “President Cyril Ramaphosa must not waste time to suspend Busisiwe Mkhwebane from that office, it is long overdue. We are saying that she must be fired immediately by Parliament
because she is not fit to hold such an esteem office like the Public Protector’s office, it’s long overdue that she must go.”
EFF
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has accused President Ramaphosa of operating like a dictator by asking Mkhwebane to explain why she should not be suspended. The party says the President’s move is premature and dictatorial.
EFF spokesperson Lee Ann Mathys elaborates, “The Economic Freedom Fighters rejects Cyril Ramaphosa’s premature and dictatorial attempt to suspend the Public Protector. This is another move where he is misusing his prerogative to sideline and destroy an African woman. He is taking advantage of a process which has been instituted by Parliament to deal with an individual he views as a political opponent.”
ATM
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) says while President Ramaphosa has the right to suspend the Public Protector in terms of the Constitution, the party believes the President is conflicted on the matter as Mkhwebane is also probing allegations against him.
The ATM’s Zama Ntshona explains, “As the ATM, we are of the view that President Ramaphosa is highly conflicted on the matter and his actions can only be seen as a self-serving action for self-preservation as the person he wants to remove is the very same person who is investigating him on serious ethical questions that have been raised about him.”
