SACP STATEMENT ON THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR AND THE DA RALLY
The SACP is outraged at the media reports that the Public Protector, Adv. Thuli Madonsela, attended an event of a particular political party on Women's Day. It is the view of the SACP that this appearance at a political rally has compromised the independence, impartiality and dignity of the office as required by law.
The Public Protector owes the public a full and credible explanation, otherwise this behaviour on her part reinforces our strongly held suspicion that she is willingly being held hostage by, and a useful hand of, the anti-majoritarian liberal offensive against government and our Alliance. For her to allow the office of the Public Protector to be used for partisan political interests can only serve to destroy the credibility of this institution. We wish to urge Adv. Madonsela to remember that such institutions must never be subjected to the personal party political preferences of holders of such an important office.
The SACP had some months earlier warned against the Public Protector allowing her office to be used by narrow and elitist lobbies to pursue their anti government agendas. She now seems to be coming out into the open. To deal with our suspicions we had also asked the Public Protector to take us into confidence about her modus operandi and how she selects cases for investigation. We have never had any response so far.
The SACP fully supports and respects the independence of this institution, and that it must conduct its work thoroughly, independently and without fear or favour, but within the prescripts of our regime of rights and the rule of law as contained in our Constitution. In addition, the SACP fully supports the role of the institution of the Public Protector as one of our key state organs in the fight against all forms of corruption, 'tenderpreneurship' and abuse of public office for personal gain or self-enrichment.
In the past we have placed on record however our concerns by what appears to be serious deviations by some of the recent actions of the Public Protector; actions that run the risk of demeaning the stature of this important institution. This includes the selectivity in handling of matters brought before her, the seemingly kow-towing to the DA in investigations concerning them, and now, to break the camel's straw, attending their rally.
Impartiality and independence of the office have been gravely compromised. Our country, as the constitution prescribes, requires a Public Protector not a Partisan Protector.
The claim by the public protectors office that she attended the rally as part of the national stakeholder consultative dialogue is even more bizzare. According to the website of the Public Protector the dialogues focus is as follows:
"The Public Protector will be engaged in a national stakeholder consultative dialogue from 12 July to 31 August 2012. The nationwide road show, which will cover all the nine provinces, is aimed at engaging and soliciting stakeholder views and experiences on problems related to RDP houses, illegal conversion of panel vans into taxis and any other service delivery problem that affects a group of people/community."
The DA's rally had nothing to do with RDP houses, the illegal conversion of panel vans into taxis or any other service delivery protest. Furthermore this rally does not appear anywhere in the list of scheduled activities which were published on the 12th July 2012. The attempt to pull wool over our eyes has dismally failed.
That the pubic protector went to such great lengths to lie to cover her association with the DA say much about her integrity. We abhor such conduct from those who must guard the interest of society as a whole.
Statement issued by Malesela Maleka, SACP spokesperson, August 12 2012
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