ConCourt has restored hope for every 'Gogo Dlamini' - Madonsela

31 March 2016

Pretoria - Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says the Constitutional Court's Nkandla judgment, which affirmed her office's powers, has given hope to those South Africans who have been wronged by the state. 

"Today the Constitutional Court restored hope in the constitutional dream for every 'Gogo Dlamini' out there who needs the Public Protector to hold government accountable," she told reporters in Pretoria following the judgment on Thursday

Madonsela previously used the name "Gogo Dlamini" to describe an "Average Joe" or a typical grandmother who was wronged by the state, but didn't have the means to face it head on. 

The Constitutional Court ruled earlier in the day that Zuma had acted inconsistently with the Constitution when he failed to comply with the Public Protector's remedial action on the upgrades to his Nkandla homestead.

Zuma had to personally pay back the money for some of the upgrades, following a determination by the National Treasury.

The Constitutional Court also found that the National Assembly acted incorrectly when it set aside Madonsela's report.

A smiling Madonsela said on Thursday that the Nkandla case was a blessing to her office. 

She said she felt vindicated by the judgment, and that Thursday marked a historic day for the country and its institutions. 

"One of the lessons we have learnt from this is [that] those who exercise authority must be careful not to surround themselves with praise singers. It's important for me to have a team with diverse views," she said. 

Madonsela said she was hoping to get at least one phone call from a deputy minister, who she did not name, who attacked her during her investigation into Nkandla.

"There is a certain deputy minister that I would like to receive a call from. He made it his mission to find people who disagreed with me."

This article first appeared on News24, see here.