PUBLIC PROTECTOR' PRESENCE AT DA WOMEN'S DAY RALLY

 The Office of the African National Congress Chief Whip has noted with concern Public Protector Advocate Thuli Madonsela's presence at the Democratic Alliance Women's Day rally in the Eastern Cape on Thursday. Advocate Madonsela rubbed shoulders with DA leaders and addressed party delegates at its Women's Day event in Port Elizabeth, organised by the party's women structure, Democratic Alliance Women's Network (Dawn).

 Advocate Madonsela's decision to attend a political party rally was ill-considered as it opens up her office to perceptions of political bias. The Constitution requires that the Public Protector be independent, impartial and to exercise her powers without fear or prejudice. Attending and giving keynote addresses at political events of political parties has the potential to compromise these basic constitutional principles, which the Public Protector is enjoined to uphold and promote. With the perceptions of the Public Protector's closeness to the party, members of the public will be justified to ask how she will in future treat complaints against the administrations under the DA.

 Yesterday was a national event that also sought to deepen national cohesion amongst South Africans, and the Public Protector's Office should have used an impartial platform to pursue its public interaction programme. The public will be reasonably suspicious of a head of a state institution supporting constitutional democracy electing to attend a political party-organised Women's Day rally over an impartial government Women's Day event.

 The Office of the ANC Chief Whip supports the noble objectives of the Public Protector's National Stakeholder Consultative Dialogue initiative, as we do with the institution's many other initiatives. However, the Public Protector must ensure that such initiatives are not open to abuse by political formations to advance their political agenda.

Statement issued by the Office of the ANC Chief Whip, August 10 2012

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