Busisiwe Mkhwebane faces removal after the parliamentary committee adopted its final report on her removal. File Picture: Oupa Mokoena / African News Agency (ANA)
The Parliamentary committee into Busisiwe Mkhwebane has adopted the final report calling for her removal from office.
The majority of the parties said they support the report, with the exception of the EFF, who said they will take it on review. The ATM also rejected the report and said it will back any party that takes it to court.
Chairperson of the section 194 committee Qubudile Dyantyi said on Tuesday the final report will now be taken to the National Assembly for adoption.
But Mkhwebane had sent a letter from her new lawyers after the previous lawyers withdrew their services.
ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said they have given Mkhwebane more than enough time to sort out issues around lawyers and many other aspects of her case.
She said the committee cannot be delayed any further.
“As this committee, we don’t have an open-ended process to deal with this matter. The public protector was given enough time to get legal representatives. Our report has to be adopted and be taken to the National Assembly. We are at that stage now,” said Dlakude.
Another ANC MP Bheki Nkosi said Mkhwebane was given more than enough time to comment on the draft report.
He said they have deadlines to meet as the new public protector has to be appointed before October when the term of the current public protector ends.
IFP MP Zandile Majozi accused Mkhwebane of using delaying tactics.
She said they will not allow the suspended public protector to stop the process.
“We have been saying all along that these delaying tactics have been there. The committee has been fair to the public protector. I agree with other members that we have bent over backwards to accommodate the public protector,” said Majozi.
But Omphile Maotwe of the EFF and ATM leader Vuyo Zungula said the process was flawed.
Maotwe said Mkhwebane has not had a legal representative since March. It was only last week that she got new lawyers.
She asked the committee to give Mkhwebane’s new lawyers time to familiarise themselves with the case.
“We are in haste to close this matter. We have said, chair, you have failed all the tests of fairness. This matter has been called to rubber-stamp what has been predetermined.
“We reject the report with the contempt it deserves and we reserve our right to take it on review,” said Maotwe.
Zungula said they will support any party that will take the report on review.
He said the process was designed to nail Mkhwebane.
Dyantyi said despite the objections of the EFF and ATM, most of the parties support the final report.
“This section 194 committee has adopted its final report that it will submit to the national assembly. The majority of the members have supported the removal of the suspended public protector. This is the final word of the committee. This report moves out of the committee (to the national assembly),” said Dyantyi.
siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za
Politics