Kholeka Gcaleka recommended as new public protector

Kholeka Gcaleka has been recommended for appointment as the new Public Protector, after the National Assembly voted on Thursday.

“Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka is recommended for appointment as the Public Protector,” speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said after Gcaleka received 244 yes votes and 12 no votes on Thursday afternoon.

Gcaleka, who has been acting in the position since last year after the suspension and later dismissal of former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, was recommended by parliament’s ad hoc committee from a list of eight candidates.

Gcaleka, who will be the youngest public protector, needed 60% of the house to be appointed.

Heated debate

Prior to the announcement of her appointment, the National Assembly had a debate where things got heated; the DA left the house in protest, and the EFF’s Mzwanele Manyi was thrown out.

The drama started when DA’s Glynnis Breytenbach said that not one single candidate of the shortlisted met the minimum standards, according to the party.

Breytenbach said the party believed she was not the perfect person for the job and further insinuated that Gcaleka’s career success was a result of her personal relationships.

“A serious question mark must exist over her personal judgement and independence,” Breytenbach said.

The DA member was told to withdraw her statement, but after refusing, she was instructed to leave the house.

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DA leader John Steenhuisen then subsequently called the speaker, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, dishonest and a liar.

“You’re dishonest, you’re a liar, you do not follow the rules of Parliament, you are a disgrace, and you should not be sitting there,” he said.

Following an adjournment to fix audio issues, the DA decided to leave the house in protest.

Meanwhile, Manyi accused Gcaleka of being part of a cover-up to protect President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Phala Phala matter.

“She cannot be trusted,” Manyi said.

Manyi further said the party rejected “a tainted person’s” appointment to such a position and called the ANC thugs. He was subsequently told to withdraw his statement, refused, and was told to leave the house. 

“Thank you; I’d rather go than sit with thugs,” he said in response to Mapisa-Nqakula.

Call for house to apologise to Gcaleka

Meanwhile, the IFP, ANC, GOOD Party, NFP, AIC, and Al Jama-ah supported Gcaleka’s appointment, and the ATM, Freedom Front Plus, ACDP, DA, and EFF opposed.

The GOOD Party’s Brett Herron called on the house to apologise to Gcaleka after the DA inferred that she progressed in her career because of her personal relationships.

The National Freedom Party’s Munzoor Shaik Emam also said it was unacceptable that Gcaleka was insulted in the National Assembly.

“We are calling on the Public Protector, when appointed, to conduct herself without any fear or favour, but most importantly, go for all these corrupted people that can come here and attack your credibility, but when you look back at them, they are corrupt as well,” Shaik Emam said.

Section 194 committee chairperson Richard Dyantyi said the objection by some parties was informed by the fact that they expected Gcaleka to make findings in a manner that suited their political narratives.

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