Ramaphosa to oppose any application by Mkhwebane on her suspension

President Cyril Ramaphosa has vowed to oppose any of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s applications against her suspension. 

Mkhwebane had written to Ramaphosa and gave him a deadline to reinstate her or else face legal action. She was suspended by Ramaphosa on 9 June 2022. 

RAMAPHOSA RESPONDS TO MKHWEBANE

In response to her suspension, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane said that the president is even more conflicted now given the fact that she had recently decided to investigate him over the alleged robbery on his Limpopo farm.

“I will also challenge suspicious and legally questionable suspension decision made yesterday, more particularly in so far as it was done in apparent contempt of court, in breach of undertakings made to me by the President via his lawyers, and by a President who is now even more conflicted given the more recent Glencore and Phala Phala complaints/investigations,” Mkhwebane said. 

In a letter, Ramaphosa said in the circumstances, he will not accede to Mkhwebane’s demand to reverse his decision to suspend her. 

“I note in this regard, your intention to refer the matter to an appropriate court to protect your constitutional rights on account of my allegedly unlawful conduct in suspending you. Suffice to state that I deny these allegations. 

“ You had sought to interdict me from exercising my constitutional power to suspend you on two occasions. You failed in both instances. I maintain that in taking my decision I acted lawfully and did not infringe any of your rights.” 

President Cyril Ramaphosa

Ramaphosa further said that he will oppose any application that Mkhwebane brings. “I will also argue that in light of the two urgent applications that you have already brought, there are no grounds for a third urgent court application,” he said.

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