EMBATTLED Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has opened a crimen injuria and contempt case against Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula at the Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria.
This follows Mbalula’s tweet over the weekend where he said Mkhwebane was ‘a hired gun and not a public protector’.
Mkhwebane said Mbalula was one of the few members of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s executive she had complaints against.
Others are Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and Mineral Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe.
Mkhwebane said she wrote to President Ramaphosa calling for action against them.
She said Mbalula was in violation of Section 181 (3) of the constitution of the republic.
Mkhwebane’s Spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said Mbalula as a minister must assist and protect Chapter 9 institutions.
“That section reads: Other organs of state, through legislative and other measures, must assist and protect these institutions to ensure the independence, impartiality, dignity and effectiveness of these institutions,” said Segalwe.
“This provision is exactly like section 165 subsection 4 of the constitution which is applicable to the judiciary and yet, we have a member of the executive going around injuring at will the dignity of the head of an independent constitutional institution.”
Mbalula has been tweeting furiously for the past two days, first responding to a Sunday Times report that ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule had instructed ANC MPs to vote against a parliamentary move to remove Mkhwebane from office.
“Ace Magashule is wrong to suggest that Mkhwebane can’t be removed. Yes, as a friend to Mkhwebane he can express that view, but not on behalf of the ANC,” Mbalula tweeted. “Which structure of ANC arrived at such a position? Mkhwebane is being charged with misconduct. Let’s talk about that.”
He then turned his attack on Mkhwebane, tweeting: “Mkhwebane is a hired gun not a public protector”.
“Which NEC meeting resolved to defend Mkhwebane? Second, the ANC strategy and tactics talk about unity and struggle of the opposite. It doesn’t characterise the opposition political parties as the enemy. You were dining with EFF leader the other day — is he your enemy?” he said in another tweet.
The ANC is split along factional lines ahead of the forthcoming vote by Members of Parliament on establishing the inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.
(SOURCE: INSIDE POLITICS)
