PP must stop wasting taxpayers’ money with Con Court bid

21 August 2020

The Democratic Alliance (DA) notes that the Public Protector, Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, is continuing to waste the South African taxpayers' money with her appeal to the Constitutional Court being heard next Thursday.

The Public Protector is appealing the decision by the North Gauteng Division of the High Court denying her access to Former President Jacob Zuma’s tax records from the time he apparently worked for Royal Security from 2007 to 2009 while serving as deputy-president and leader of the ANC.

Despite Judge Peter Mabuse calling her “dishonest”, saying she acted in “bad faith” and for being “improperly in flagrant disobedience of the Constitution”, Mkhwebane is continuing with the farce that her conduct is within her scope as Public Protector.

Judge Mabuse also ordered her to pay 15% of the legal cost, with her institution paying the rest. Ultimately the public again bore the financial burden for her blunder.

During her tenure as the head of this very important Chapter 9 institution, Mkhwebane has repeatedly suffered losses at the hands of the court, and it has become clear that not only does she not understand her mandate, she does not seem to have an understanding of the Constitution. Her own counsel shockingly revealed to the High Court in June that she does not feel bound by court orders.

The DA has thousands of pages of evidence against Mkhwebane for apparent misconduct, and once again calls on the Chairperson of the Justice Portfolio Committee to request an update from the Speaker of the National Assembly, Thandi Modise, on the progress of appointing an independent panel to investigate the Public Protector for possible misconduct, incapacity and incompetence.

Mkhwebane cannot be allowed to continue to muddy the halls of this vital and once proud Chapter 9 institution.

Issued by Glynnis Breytenbach, DA Shadow Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, 21 August 2020