The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation says it supports calls from political and civil society organisations for the removal of Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, from her position as Public Protector.
The Foundation says last Friday’s hasty adverse findings of the Public Protector, against former Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, has raised serious questions about the credibility of the process and the report itself.
The Foundation’s director, Neeshan Bolton, says they also noted that the National Prosecuting Authority withdrew its charges against Gordhan on similar allegations in 2016, on the basis that it had no prospect of success.
Trade Union Federation, Cosatu says the office of the Public Protector needs urgent intervention from President Cyril Ramaphosa following a number of miss judgments by Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan expressed shock last week over the timing of the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s report into the Ivan Pillay pension matter. His lawyer Tebogo Malatji said Gordhan would immediately take the public protector’s report that found him guilty of improper conduct on review.
The Congress of the People (Cope) has accused Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane of factionalism and trying to distract President Cyril Ramaphosa in appointing his cabinet. Cope has also called on Parliament to remove Mkhwebane.
The party’s Spokesperson, Dennis Bloem says the report is aimed at destabilising and to distract the President with announcing his cabinet
“We know that it was aimed to destabilise and to distract the President with announcing his cabinet. That is a clear sign that this Public Protector is showing factional tendencies because she is not coming up with a report of Estina Dairy. We want Parliament to remove this Public Protector as soon as possible.”
