Parliament to consider DA’s draft rules for removing the Public Protector

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has welcomed the news that Parliament’s Rules Committee will review the draft set of rules for the removal of the Public Protector it submitted towards the end of August.

DA wants removal of Public Protector to be treated as a matter of urgency

The official opposition is very keen to have Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane removed from office after she has suffered a string of emphatic legal defeats in recent months.

“The DA believes that the matter of Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s continued occupancy of the office of Public Protector is something that needs to be dealt with urgently by Parliament, the body constitutionally mandated to consider her removal,” chief whip John Steenhuisen wrote in a statement.

John Steenhuisen

It isn’t merely the fact that she keeps losing in court but rather than the manner in which she is losing, often accompanied by scathing judgments that call her fitness to hold the office into question.

“She has disgraced the Office with the release of several deeply concerning reports that demonstrate her poor understanding both of the law as well as of her mandate as Public Protector and has shown, repeatedly, that she is not a fit and proper person to occupy the position of Public Protector,” Steenhuizen continued.

John Steenhuisen

Mkhwebane complains of a targetted campaign against her

It has been so full-on, in fact, it has led Mkhwebane to suggest there might be an apartheid-era smear campaign being against her, while also claiming the courts are treating her differently to her predecessor Thuli Madonsela.

When the idea of removing Mkhwebane was first tabled, it came to light that there were no actual rules in place to guide the sacking of a senior member of a Chapter 9 institution and the matter was referred to the Rules Committee.

Undeterred and in the mood for swift action, the DA took to penning a set of draft rules itself for Parliament’s consideration in order to try and expedite the process.

“For every day that Parliament delays, Advocate Mkhwebane’s destructive path continues to wreak havoc in South Africa’s economy and to weaken the public’s faith in her office, while state officials and bodies are allowed to tread roughshod over the rights and dreams of ordinary South Africans,” Steenhuizen said.

John Steenhuisen

Understanding the need to balance urgency with following due process

The DA was delighted by the news that the Rules Committee will be reviewing its draft proposal.

While the official opposition is keen to get the ball rolling, it added that it is aware of the need to balance urgency with following due process.

“The DA trusts that the process will continue to move apace but will continue to carefully monitor Parliament’s progress in this regard, so that justice for South Africans are not delayed, and thereby denied,” Steenhuizen concluded.

John Steenhuisen