Senior Manager for Executive Support in PP’s office testifies

Senior Manager for Executive Support in the office of the Public Protector Futana Tebele has started testifying in the Section 194 Inquiry into suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.

Tebele says he is reporting to the CEO who is the accounting officer in the office of the Public Protector Thandi Sibanyoni. He says his role in the office is to assist the CEO in the management of the institution.

Tebele had to explain how the Private Office differed from the CEO’s office in the Public Protector’s Office.

He was taken through his affidavit by evidence leader advocate Ncumisa Mayosi.

Mayosi: “Who does the Private Office consist of?”

Tebele: “The Private Office within the Public Protector South Africa refers to the office where the Executive Authority sits, – that is the Public Protector and the deputy Public Protector and it refers to the staff that is responsible to support that office. So we have an office of Private Office which is almost distinct from the office of the accounting officer. All the staff supporting the Public Protector and the deputy Public Protector, – are part of that office. I found the name there, then I got to know it as such.”

On Tuesday, former CEO in the office of the Public Protector, Vussy Mahlangu denied that he harassed and intimidated staff during his tenure. He has also denied that he was an “enforcer” in that office.

Mahlangu told the Section 194 Committee that suspended Mkhwebane is not incompetent.

He was responding to United Democratic Movement (UDM) leader Bantu Holomisa who posed the question about the current Public Protector’s competence during the question session between committee members and Mahlangu.

The video below is reporting on Tuesday’s proceedings: