Parliament, Tuesday, 06 March 2018 – Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Justice and Correctional Services today held a frank and robust engagement with the Public Protector (PP), Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane, to obtain clarity on investigations in the public domain in recent weeks.
Committee Chairperson Dr Mathole Motshekga said the committee asked Adv Mkhwebane to address the meeting, not to put her on trial but to gain a broader understanding of her comments on some investigations. “We have a responsibility to protect and defend the office of the Public Protector, if that office is unfairly attacked. It was therefore important for the committee to hear first-hand from Adv Mkhwebane on these matters.”
The Public Protector addressed the committee on the reports on the Vrede dairy farm and the South African Reserve Bank/Absa (Bankcorp) matter, among others.
The committee heard that the investigation into the Vrede dairy farm in the Free State was done in 2013 and 2014, before Adv Mkhwebane took office. She repeatedly said that the investigation focused predominantly on maladministration, as that was the main complaint received in 2013. She took office while that report was being written up and her office wanted to stay within the parameters of the complaint when writing up the report and not venture into areas not in the original complaint.
The committee heard that the PP did everything possible to gain information on these matters before concluding her report. Parties who requested an opportunity to provide clarity, even in the Bankcorp matter, were afforded that opportunity. In instances where no one-on-one meetings took place with individuals or companies, it was merely because no such request was made.
The committee is satisfied with the responses provided by Adv Mkhwebane. “She was clear and the committee did not get the impression that she is trying to hide anything. This is an important office and we do not want a cloud hanging over it,” Dr Motshekga said.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON JUSTICE AND CORRECTIONAL SERVICES, DR MATHOLE MOTSHEKGA
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