No, I would not return to the ANC - Madonsela
Durban - “No.”
This was the short answer that former Public Protector, Thuli Madonsela, gave on Monday night when reporters asked her if she would be willing to go back to the African National Congress, a party she was once a member of.
“I was a member of the ANC and I left it in 2007, not because I had any bad feelings but professionally, I felt that I needed to distance myself from any political party and I am still in that space,” Madonsela said.
She was speaking on the sidelines of the 2016 Mahamta Gandhi Awards at the Durban City Hall, where she received The Second Satyagraha Award for her tremendous contribution during her tenure as Public Protector.
She did however say that her services would be available to all political parties.
“I feel that at this stage, I can assist all political parties if they need my advice or services for free but otherwise, I am taking a holiday for the next 13 months or so.”
In 2018 she will serve as the chair of social justice at Stellenbosch University.
The former Public Protector has received widespread criticism following the release of the State of Capture report, which investigated allegations of state capture by the controversial Gupta family and President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane.
During her acceptance speech earlier on Monday evening, she said": “If there ever was a time for us to be reminded by the life and the message in the life of Mahamta Gandhi, it is today. A time when we are going through a serious turbulent country and world.
“A time when we are reflecting as humanity regarding what road brought us here and are there alternative roads that we could take towards that world where we can all be happy, there can be friendship and where we can embrace each other regardless of race, gender, disability and sexual orientation.”
Other recipients included Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, Shaka Sisulu, both who could not attend due to ill health, and Judge Albie Sachs.
Some do not want the truth to come out
Madonsela on Monday night declined to comment after the ANC Youth League called her a drama queen and said she needed to "rest in peace".
“I knew that there were those who’d rather the truth never come to light, and I knew that those that don’t want the truth to come to light would be angry with me, there is nothing that I can do about that,” said Madonsela.
During a press briefing on Monday, the ANC Youth League reportedly called Madonsela “a drama queen” that needed “to rest in peace”.
The league criticised Madonsela’s explosive State of Capture report, saying she had used it to “further enhance the agenda of the Democratic Alliance”.
"The ANC Youth League has noted that the drama queen has left the office and therefore remains not busy these days.
"As the ANCYL, we want to wish her well in her DA endeavours. Now that she's resting, can she rest in peace.” ANCYL spokesperson, Mlondi Mkhize, was quoted as having said by eNCA.
'I have done the best that I could'
Speaking on the sidelines of the awards ceremony, Madonsela said she did not really have a response to the ANCYL's utterances.
“I know that I have done the best that I could as a human being with the State of Capture report, but I also had no illusions as we completed this report. I knew that there would be people who would be happy that this would strengthen our Constitutional democracy and shed some light on a very difficult issue.”
Madonsela said she also knew that there were people who wanted the matter to be investigated "upfront to make sure we know who is lying and who is not because otherwise it creates turbulence when we don’t know whether our state or parts of our state are being controlled by outsiders”.
The former Public Protector has received widespread criticism following the release of the report, which investigated allegations of state capture by the controversial Gupta family and President Jacob Zuma’s son, Duduzane.
During her acceptance speech, Madonsela said "If there ever was a time for us to be reminded by the life and the message in the life of Mahamta Gandhi, it is today. A time when we are going through a serious turbulent country and world.
“A time when we are reflecting as humanity regarding what road brought us here and are there alternative roads that we could take towards that world where we can all be happy, there can be friendship and where we can embrace each other regardless of race, gender, disability and sexual orientation.”
Other recipients included Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan and Shaka Sisulu (both of whom could not attend due to ill health) and Judge Albie Sachs.
Sorry for 'Oros' comment
Madonsela apologised for calling ANC Youth League president Collen Maine Oros.
“I admit that his feelings were hurt and I apologise for that,” she said on Monday.
“If he thinks that that gives him the licence to attack me and he will feel better, then so be it,” she said.
She had compared Maine to the orange-flavoured juice’s tubby mascot.
She said in an interview with the SABC’s Question Time on October 27: “I’m surprised when somebody like Oros… There is a guy that they call Oros. Well I don’t know what is his real name. What is his real name?” she asked her interviewer.
'Drama queen'
The ANC Youth League on Monday called Madonsela “a drama queen” who needed “to rest in peace”.
The league said her "State of Capture" report was intended to “further enhance the agenda of the Democratic Alliance” and bring President Jacob Zuma down.
According to a Mail & Guardian report, Maine said Madonsela was a DA puppet.
“We’re calling for lady to rest in peace. It’s like she is still the Public Protector. It’s like she is not finished with what her handlers would have wanted her to finish. She must rest in peace and allow the new Public Protector to do her work,” Maine said.
He criticised Madonsela for referring to him as “Oros”, a name opposition parties used to tease him.
“She said she does not know my name and referred to me as Oros, so I don’t know her name as well. Others are calling her a spy or big nose. I don’t know her name,” Maine said.
Madonsela said it was obvious that Maine took offence at being called Oros.
“Someone had told me that a certain Oros has said something and I responded to the Oros. You know that the former mayor of Pretoria is Sputla [Ramokgopa]. I thought that Oros was somebody’s name or a nickname that was acceptable.
“I did not even know that was the name of that person, it turns out from what I heard today, that that was his name and he felt that I attacked him,” said Madonsela.
