ANC STATEMENT ON THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR INTERIM REPORT ON INKANDLA

Following the Public Protector report on the investigation on Inkandla security upgrades the ANC acknowledges work that has been done. We also respect the office of the Public Protector and appreciate the work they have done.  However, the ANC is concerned in the manner in which the Public protector has handled the interim report.

The confusion she displayed when she said she did not know where to take the Interim Report worked on the psyche of the public in a way that reflected negatively on the President. She has handled it in a manner that suggests that she is an interested party, in this regard, she has positioned the report in a manner that will work on the public psyche in a particular manner. 

When the Public Protector finally released the report, she gave it to the Ministers in the Security a Cluster and excluded the President. This on its own communicated volumes. Secondly, when she released a statement that the public will be disappointed about the findings even before she released the report. This begs the question who will be disappointed with outcome of the Interim Report?  This therefore removes neutrality of the Public Protector and her conduct suggests that she is protecting interests of a particular section of society. The implications of her conduct suggest that the President is guilty even before the report is released officially.

We would like to caution that this conduct carries a risk of delegitimizing other chapter 9 institutions and processes with the Public Protector's Office being the only one standing. We are eagerly awaiting the report to be published so that together with the report of the department be taken forward.

Statement issued by Gwede Mantashe, ANC Secretary General, November 4 2013

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