Lerato Mbhiza
President Cyril Ramaphosa has appointed advocate Kholeka Gcaleka as South Africa’s Public Protector, the Presidency said in a statement on Wednesday.
Presidency spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said: “President Cyril Ramaphosa has in terms of section 193(4) of Constitution of the Republic of South Africa and on the recommendation of the National Assembly, appointed Advocate Nompilo Kholeka Gcaleka as Public Protector (PP) of the Republic of South Africa for a non-renewable term of seven years with effect from 1 November 2023”.
The National Assembly voted in support of Gcaleka’s appointment last month and made the recommendations to Ramaphosa after 244 MPs constituting 61% of the of the members voted in support of her appointment.
Gcaleka, who was appointed Deputy Public Protector in January 2020, has been acting PP since Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s suspension in June 2022. Mkhwebane was then fired by Ramaphosa in October this year.
Mkhwebane recently joined the EFF and has formally been assigned h parliamentary duties by the party.
Ironically, Mkhwebane will also be serving on the justice committee with several members of the Section 194 inquiry that voted to impeach her impeachment last month. The same committee to which Mkhwebane reported to for almost seven years – until she faced impeachment.
Mkhwebane will exercise oversight over her former workplace, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), and the Special Investigating Unit (SIU).
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