PUBLIC Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has defended herself against the DA’s calls for an inquiry into her fitness to hold office.
Mkhwebane was invited to the portfolio committee on justice yesterday to discuss whether to approve the DA’s request for a full-blown inquiry.
The party wants to probe the decisions Mkhwebane has made since being appointed in 2016, which it says are incompetent.
Mkhwebane was not at the meeting in parliament but sent a 25-page written
response to DA chief whip John Steenhuisen’s request for an inquiry.
“Despite fitness to hold office not being grounds for removal of the Public Protector, as alleged in Steenhuisen’s letter, this committee must go beyond proving displeasure with my performance.
“The ground relied upon in the letter is incompetence,which means the employee is incapable of performing the job, or capable of doing so but consistently failing to meet a reasonable standard.
“This committee’s displeasure at my performance is not enough to warrant removal.”
She said some MPs have been hostile towards her and asked for them to recuse themselves.
Opposition MPs were unhappy at only being given the 25-page document at 11pm on Tuesday, when the letter was dated 5 July.
Committee chairman Mathole Motshekga apologised on behalf of the committee secretariat, which he said had a busy schedule.
All MPs except EFF members agreed the matter should be postponed until next week to look at the document.
The EFF said the document showed Mkhwebane wasn’t fit to hold office.
The committee will meet again next week. – NEWS24