SUSPENDED Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane appeared before the Parliament’s Committee for Section 194 Inquiry without her legal team on Monday, 13 February because they have not been paid.
Mkhwebane said it was “regrettable” that the Public Protector Office which, by law, was supposed to protect service providers, failed to meet its obligation.
“This is done regrettably by the officials or the institution which is investigating my administration and undue delay which we have laws where we continuously violating of paying of any service providers within 30 working days, and we are investigating institutions for failing to do that, but we are doing that ourselves,” she said.
She said her lawyers, Seanego Attorneys, have been sent from pillar to post since last year when they asked for payments.
She told the chairman of the committee, Qubudile Dyantyi, that since the beginning of the inquiry in July, the attorneys were paid in October for July invoice.
“I don’t know whether that is done to punish me. Was it necessary for us to even write to you to intervene when people had the responsibility to do their part,” said Mkhwebane.
She said non-payment was frustrating her, adding that other legal teams have been paid.
Dyantyi said when he heard a “whisper” about issues with the payment of Mkhwebane’s legal team, he sent a letter to the PP Office.
The office said delays were caused by “discrepancies”.
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Mkhwebane said when president President Cyril Ramaphosa suspended her that she would be entitled to full benefits, but that was not happening.
She said her legal team spent Christmas holidays without money and the schools even opened without the team even receiving payments.
“We have a curse of middle. People have cars and bonds to pay,” she said.
The hearing continues.
