LISTEN: Ramaphosa suspended Mkhwebane to distract us from his own issues – Mashaba

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has told The Citizen while his party supports the suspension of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, President Cyril Ramaphosa is trying to deflect attention away from himself over the DollarGate scandal.

Ramaphosa suspended Mkhwebane with immediate effect on Thursday afternoon.

ALSO READ: Mkhwebane undeterred after suspension by Ramaphosa

The president himself is under investigation by the Public Protector for allegedly breaching the executive code of ethics relating to criminal activities at his Phala Phala farm in Limpopo.

The complaint against Ramaphosa comes after former spy boss Arthur Fraser laid a criminal complaint against the president, accusing him of money laundering and not reporting a robbery at his farm where a reported $4 million (R61.8 million) was stolen.

Fraser also claimed the suspects who broke into the president’s property were subsequently kidnapped, interrogated, and paid off to keep silent.

Mashaba said ActionSA is concerned about the timing of the suspension of Mkhwebane.

“I think from what we can read and what I can read is the president is really trying to divert attention from his own issues, and I just want to assure him and the ANC, they are making us even more determined to really get to the bottom of this matter.”

Mkhwebane seems to be undeterred by her suspension from office as she took to social media in her quest for justice.

 Quoting a passage from the Bible, the suspended Public Protector shared two tweets to express her sentiments on the suspension saying “Do not be deflected #glencore and #farmgate aluta continua.”

Also Read: Mkhwebane undeterred after suspension by Ramaphosa

However, she was dealt another blow on Friday, after the Western Cape High Court dismissed her bid to interdict the parliamentary process to impeach her from office.

The court has also imposed a costs order against Mkhwebane in her personal capacity.

Mkhwebane had filed an interdict application, which sought to halt Parliament’s impeachment process and prevent Ramaphosa from suspending her.

Listen to the interview with Herman Mashaba

ALSO READ: High court dismisses Mkhwebane’s bid to block Parliament’s impeachment process