ANC warns Madonsela and Mkhwebane
PARLIAMENT warned that the public spats between former public protector Thuli Madonsela and her successor, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, which also dragged in President Jacob Zuma’s name, would tarnish the image and credibility of the office.
Mathole Motshekga, the chairman of the portfolio committee on justice and correctional services, yesterday called for the fight to end, to protect the office’s reputation.
Mkhwebane and Madonsela have been at each other’s throats since the weekend when the former public protector accused Mkhwebane and Zuma of docking a portion of her pension payout.
The money was withheld by Mkhwebane’s office to determine if Madonsela was liable for a car crash in 2012. The damage to the state vehicle amounted to R500 000. Her son was driving the vehicle when it crashed in 2012. Motshekga said all parties must put a stop to the dispute as it damaged this important institution. He said if both Madonsela and Mkhwebane were unhappy, they could approach the office of the minister of justice. But they were waiting for Mkhwebane to appear before the portfolio committee to give answers.
The ANC Women’s League blasted Madonsela for attacking Zuma and the public protector.
ANCWL secretary general Meokgo Matuba said Madonsela could not question the process that had led to her successor’s appointment.
“South Africa has a public protector who was appointed through a transparent, fair process and her name is advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane,” said Matuba.
“By casting aspersions about the appointment of the public protector, Madonsela is not only undermining the integrity of Parliament, the president and Mkhwebane, but also the intelligence of South Africans who watched the live interviews of the candidates, who contested for the public protector position,” she said.