Mkhwebane is central to ANC factions’ infighting

Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane could be the new factor in the widening divisions within the governing ANC, with party members taking opposing positions about her future in office.

One side, aligned to President Cyril Ramaphosa, is baying for her blood while another, associated with party secretary-general Ace Magashule and former president Jacob Zuma, demands that Mkhwebane be left alone to do her job without any political interference.

Among those opposing her are the South African Communist Party deputy general secretary, Solly Mapaila, and ANC national chairperson Gwede Mantashe. They are concerned about Mkhwebane’s alleged tendency to involve herself in ANC factional battles.

Mkhwebane threatened to sue Mapaila after he allegedly accused her of being a “hired gun” by rogue elements to delegitimase individuals and to be used “particularly by those who fight back, whom rogue elements in the intelligence don’t agree with, so that finally there could be adverse rulings against them.”

She asked Mapaila to withdraw his statement or face legal action, but the SACP leader denied saying this.

Earlier, party spokesperson Alex Mashilo said the SACP had not received any inquiry from Mkhwebane either asking for clarification or saying anything on what Mapaila said. The party would deal with the matter once Mkhwebane had approached it.

But the SACP reiterated its call for parliament to hold an inquiry into her fitness to hold office.

“The party will not allow any threat to reverse this important decision,” Mashilo said.

Mantashe also questioned Mkhwebane’s alleged move to play into the ANC factional battles, highlighting that she targeted President Cyril Ramaphosa but not the other former ANC presidential candidates who might have received external funding for their party campaigns.

Mkhwebane is currently investigating whether Ramaphosa lied to parliament about receiving R500,000 funding for his ANC election campaign from Bosasa boss Gavin Watson, after he said the money was paid to his son as payment for a consulting job he did for Bosasa.

This week members of the Umkhonto weSizwe Military Veterans League defended Mkhwebane.

“We are deeply concerned by the array of public attacks that are constantly being directed at the public protector and other Chapter 9 Institutions.

“We call on the officials to ensure that these institutions are given space to do their work independently, impartially, without fear, favour or prejudice subject only to the Constitution,” the MKMVA said.

The MKMVA has been accused of supporting the Zuma faction within the ANC and that they protected Luthuli House against protesters at the party headquarters calling for Zuma to step down a few years ago.

Zuma himself on Thursday called for non-interference in Mkhwebane’s job.

Their call for Mkhwebane to be left alone came at a time when the public protector had intensified her war against Ramaphosa.

She reportedly is said to believe that Ramaphosa had violated the Constitution for not implementing remedial action against Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan over his alleged authorisation of an irregular early retirement for former Sars deputy commissioner, Ivan Pillay.

But Ramaphosa wrote to Mkhwebane asking her to rather wait until Gordhan’s court application for the review of the protector’s decision was concluded, as it would be inappropriate to take such action now.

This week DA chief whip John Steenhuisen agreed with Ramaphosa.

– ericn@citizen.co.za

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