PUBLIC PROTECTOR CONCERNED ABOUT RECENT MEDIA STATEMENTS BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY’S PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES
12 FEBRUARY 2018
The Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, is deeply disturbed that she has to use the media to express her displeasure following the recent media statements issued by Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services in connection with her work.
The Office of the Public Protector only received official correspondence from the Committee on Monday 12 February 2018 at 14h15, summoning her to appear before the committee. This is despite the fact that a media statement on the matter was issued by the Committee at the weekend already.
The Office of the Public Protector is a chapter nine institution that is established to support constitutional democracy and it is required to be independent, and to perform its functions without fear, favour or prejudice.
The Committee has a constitutional obligation to assist and protect the Office of the Public Protector so as to ensure the office’s independence, impartiality, dignity and effectiveness.
Despite the fact that it is not clear to her as to which public utterances will be the subject of the meeting in Parliament on Wednesday, 14 February 2018 at 09:30, Adv. Mkhwebane has confirmed her attendance.
Adv. Mkhwebane respects the National Assembly and understands that her office must report on its activities and the performance of its functions to the Assembly through the Committee.
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PUBLIC PROTECTOR REACTION TO STATEMENT ISSUED BY DEMOCRATIC ALLIACE ON THE VREDE INTEGRATED DAIRY PROJECT REPORT
12 FEBRUARY 2018
The Office of the Public Protector notes with shock and disappointment the decision of the Democratic Alliance (DA) to criticize the Public Protector’s report as disgraceful and embarrassing. The Public Protector expects the DA to lodge a judicial review instead of attacking her.
The decision by the DA appears to have little to do with the factual findings of the report, findings which are largely in line with the facts uncovered by other investigations into the Vrede Integrated Dairy Project, but rather appear to be part of a sustained offensive against Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane, an offensive that began during the selection process for the appointment of the Public Protector.
The DA was well within its rights to object to and oppose the candidacy of any individual during the interview processes in Parliament but it is undemocratic to have those objections degenerate into a personal vendetta that is carried beyond that selection process and its pursued in the media, in courts, in parliamentary committee meetings, on social media and everywhere else.
It is unpatriotic to subject the institution that is the Office of the Public Protector to a sustained and unrelenting negative campaign and negative messaging. It is undesirable and it undermines the constitutional role of the Public Protector when there are attempts to make this office a political target.
It erodes public confidence and slowly chips away at the integrity of democratic institutions when we don’t engage those institutions constructively but rather use our social capital to bully and bulldoze others into parroting our world views.
We will be defending this vexatious litigation, we will defend the brand of the office of the Public Protector, we will defend the integrity of our work and we will defend the dignity of the hardworking people that make this institution work.
The Public Protector has discharged her constitutional mandate accordingly in releasing her findings on Vrede Integrated Dairy Project.
Statements issued by Ms Cleopatra Mosana, Spokesperson, Public Protector South Africa, 12 February 2018
