Most political parties have voted in favour of the establishment of an ad hoc committee in Parliament, to investigate the fitness of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to hold office. This is after an independent review panel found that prima facie evidence exists to institute removal proceedings against Mkhwebane.
The proceedings of the National Assembly today were to accept or reject the report, not to debate the merits of the report. The motion to remove the Public Protector was brought by the DA.
The party’s chief whip, Natasha Mazzone, says they support the establishment of the committee.
“I, therefore, rise in honor of panel established and would like to thank speaker and staff and legal team that we have done everything correctly.”
https://twitter.com/Natasha9Mazzone/status/1371863389262200833
For South Africa to work, Parliament must work. But most importantly, the reformers must work together.
Thank you to all the MPs who have today decided to choose SA and voted in support of the motion to initiate removal proceedings against the #PublicProtector.
We can fix this!
— John Steenhuisen MP (@jsteenhuisen) March 16, 2021
Parliament proceedings regarding the Public Protector inquiry:
The Economic Freedom Fighters was among the parties that did not support the establishment of the committee. The party’s Member of Parliament Natasha Ntlangwini, says the rules were deliberately crafted with the Public Protector in mind.
“We are opposed to the recommendations by the panel. This House never had rules on the removal of Chapter 9 leaders. These rules were made with the Public Protector in mind, a water-tight method to remove the Public Protector and no one else.”
