Mkhwebane has another about-face, now backs Madonsela on state capture

In her answering affidavit against President Jacob Zuma, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has unexpectedly endorsed the findings and criticisms of her predecessor against Zuma.

Zuma has been attempting to set aside the State of Capture report and its recommendations, as made by the then public protector, Thuli Madonsela, last year.

The president believes he is the only one who has the powers to establish a commission of inquiry and to choose those who sit on its panel.

According to eNCA, Mkhwebane has apparently had a change of heart on the matter after initially saying she didn’t think it would matter which judge was appointed, therefore the implication was that it might not be necessary to have Zuma be forced to ask the chief justice to select the judge in a judicial inquiry into state capture, as Madonsela recommended.

The public protector now agrees with her predecessor that President Zuma should not be the one to appoint a judge to head the inquiry, as he is demanding, since he is conflicted and will be subject to investigations himself.

eNCA reported on Tuesday that Mkhwebane has criticised Zuma in her answering affidavit in the state capture matter, which implicates Zuma, his family and the Guptas.

She is also calling for the inquiry to go ahead on an urgent basis. She says the president lacks any prospect of success in his review.