THE National Assembly has voted in favour of setting up an ad-hoc committee to inquire into the fitness to hold office of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane.
The African National Congress (ANC) and the Democratic Alliance (DA) voted in favour of the motion to set up the committee, while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) was its most vocal opponent.
In total, 275 MPs voted in favour of the motion while 40 opposed it.
Earlier MPs debated whether or not Parliament should launch a full inquiry into the public protector’s fitness to hold office as recommended by an independent panel.
The panel, appointed by Parliament announced last week, found that there was sufficient prima facie evidence of misconduct against Mkhwebane.
The panel was established to conduct a preliminary assessment and make a recommendation on whether the claims against Mkhwebane would hold water.
The three-member independent panel, headed by retired Judge Bess Nkabinde, recommended that a committee of the National Assembly investigate or launch an inquiry into the public protector.
This recommendation has now been given the green light.
Mkhwebane could be the first head of a Chapter 9 institution to face an impeachment process.
Despite some vocal opposition to the ANC’s decision to vote in favour of the motion from within its own ranks, no ANC MP indicated that he or she wanted to vote differently to the party.
- AFP
