Cape Town – Parliament is making moves to find a replacement for suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, whose term ends in October.
Mkhwebane was suspended in June shortly after she sent President Cyril Ramaphosa questions regarding the alleged Phala Phala farm robbery.
Her suspension remained despite the Western Cape High Court ruling that President Cyril Ramaphosa acted “improperly” against Mkhwebane.
Mkhwebane was denied access to her office and informed by acting public protector Kholeka Gcaleka that her suspension remained effective as an appeal to the Constitutional Court had suspended the high court order, reported TimesLIVE.
With only about five months left for Parliament to conduct the search for a new Public Protector, Parliament is starting to feel the pressure to replace Mkhwebane, reported EWN.
The report said on Thursday, Parliament’s presiding officers appealed to political parties to come to a consensus soon, on how they wanted to conduct the process
House chairperson Cedric Frolick said that with the legislature going on a one-month-long constituency break next month, time was running out to get the ball rolling.
ALSO READ | ‘Your suspension remains effective,’ Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane told
“It is also urgent because the committee will have to be established after the house agrees to it, must elect the chairperson, it must look at the programme and the advert that must go out. And that in itself takes time,” the report quoted Frolick as saying.
According to TimesLIVE proposals presented to the chief whips’ forum were for the establishment of an ad hoc committee made up of 11 members, a configuration of the current portfolio committees.
There was also a proposal to have 11 voting members and an additional 14 non-voting members, the report said.
Meanwhile, Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula was eager to begin the process, stating there was no time left, reported IOL.
“This has become an urgent matter. We are now at the beginning of May and in my understanding the term of office of the public protector ends in October,” Mapisa-Nqakula was quoted saying in the report.
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Compiled by Olwethu Mpeshe
