Mkhwebane’s tell-all briefing descended into chaos

Suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s media briefing to address extortion claims against Section 194 Inquiry chair Qubudile Dyantyi, chief whip Pemmy Majodina and the late ANC MP, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, descended into chaos after Kasi Broadcasting journalist Channon Merricks referred to Media24 journalist Karyn Maughan as “advocate” while posing a question.

The briefing was held at the Capital On The Park in Sandton yesterday.

Maughan has been referred to as “Advocate SC” by her detractors on social media for her reportage on legal matters.

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She argued it was inappropriate Merricks had twice referred to her as “advocate” while addressing Mkhwebane.

“You’ve twice addressed me so, why?” she asked “Why am I so important to you? Should I just keep my mouth shut?”

Merricks insisted he was speaking to Mkhwebane: “I didn’t speak to you, my back is to you, I am on the platform speaking to her.”

Merricks later apologised “for calling you an advocate because you are not an advocate”.

‘Waging war’

Meanwhile, Mkhwebane said some of the messages from Joemat-Pettersson suggested there was a predetermined outcome to her impeachment inquiry which, she claimed, had been triggered by the “31 questions” in her report about the theft at President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala game farm on 9 February 2022.

“The real reason for my suspension was my complaint about the Phala Phala scandal. The objective to remove me illegally has thus been achieved,” she said.

READ MORE: ‘No other option’: Section 194 Committee draws the line with Mkhwebane after delays

She alleged “if it wasn’t for the judiciary, ANC and DA [Democratic Alliance] coalition failing to act, Tina [who died unexpectedly last week] might still have been alive”.

She claimed that all three arms of the state – the executive, the legislature and the judiciary – were involved in undermining her rights.

“I am not waging war against the three arms of the state. I think I’ve shown the evidence of what justice has done. I mean, like now I have evidence, but I must still prove myself going forward.”

She accused judges of playing the man rather than the ball.

“If it’s Mkhwebane and you do not like Mkhwebane because you have been told about Mkhwebane and you can’t be objective, just recuse yourself and allow people who just focus on the law.”

Mkhwebane said the briefing was the only way to express herself as the committee presiding over her inquiry had failed her.

“This is the only way I have with the kind of treatment I get. What would you have done? Must I just sit and say the committee will investigate? The committee is saying they will be proceeding as soon as the issue of my legal representation is sorted out. I must go in front of the very same person. I do not know if that is proper,” she said.

Mkhwebane said she was not worried about the backlash following the briefing.

“The Financial Mail has labelled me as the enemy of the state because I’ve touched the Reserve Bank. I have to prove myself because whatever I say, they will believe what the other parties are saying about me.

“There will be those who are independent, those who are fair, those who would want to listen to me and hear my side of my story.

“I’ve said to those who have ears, let them hear, those who have eyes, let them see, to say is this the kind of South Africa you would find ourselves.”

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