EFF reserves right to legally challenge Mkhwebane’s removal

The EFF has indicated it reserves its right to legally challenge the removal of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane. 

Mkhwebane was removed from office after 318 of the 400 MPs voted in favour of the Parliament’s Section 194 Committee Report, while 43 voted against. Cope’s Mosiuoa Lekota abstained. 

The suspended public protector faces a loss-of-office gratuity worth about R10m when her non-renewable seven-year term expires next month. On Thursday next week, the National Assembly will vote to decide on her replacement.

READ MORE: Mkhwebane’s fate sealed, becomes first public protector removed from office

Meanwhile, the EFF, which voted against the report, said the vote by the National Assembly was a flagrant abuse of the parliamentary majority. It said it was a ploy meant to defend President Cyril Ramaphosa against accusations of corruption. 

“The EFF reserves the right to take the report on judicial review,” said the party.

Mkhwebane is the first public protector in South Africa to be removed from a Chapter 9 institution.

Justice loving individuals

EFF treasurer general Omphile Maotwe also called on others, including Mkhwebane, to join the legal action.

“We reject the report, and we reject the political witch-hunt initiated by the DA and supported by the ANC to punish Advocate Mkhwebane in order to protect Ramaphosa. 

“We reiterate our stance that we reserve our right to take this report and the illegal adoption of this report by parliament on judicial review… We invite all interested parties to join us in doing so, including advocate Mkhwebane and all justice-loving individuals in this country,” she said. 

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In a tweet on X (formerly Twitter), Mkhwebane took a jab at the MPs who voted against her.

“Working the land and this 2/3 majority vote to remove me should have been for expropriation of land or change the mandate of SARB,” she tweeted.

Targeted for hitting a raw nerve

UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said Mkhwebane became a target because she “hit a raw nerve” with her 2019 report.

“The ANC has closed ranks with a vengeance, and we are at the juncture where they are merely getting rid of her for doing her job too well,” said Holomisa. 

“This House should come up with a mechanism to establish which companies are doing business with government … [Which] have donated to this campaign and why monies ended up in some cabinet members’ pockets as shown in [Mkhwebane’s 2019 report]?”