Political analyst, Dr Sam Koma, says the decision to impeach advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane bodes well for efforts to restore the credibility of the Public Protector’s Office.
Mkhwebane was impeached in a historic vote by Members of Parliament on Monday.
Three hundred and 18 parliamentarians voted in favour of the Section 194 report, which found her guilty of misconduct, 43 others were against it and one MP abstained.
Dr Koma says, over the years, the office of the Public Protector suffered a credibility crisis over its handling of high-profile cases.
He says the country’s next Public Protector should serve the interests of ordinary South Africans and not advance the interests of politicians.
Political parties are on the other hand divided on the matter.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says Mkhwebane’s removal closes a turbulent and regrettable chapter in the country’s history.
Democratic Alliance (DA) chief whip , Siviwe Gwarube says they hope this is a lesson on the critical importance of selecting fit-for-purpose candidates at all times.
“The DA takes great pride in the members who served on the Section 194 Committee, demonstrating diligence and upholding their oath of office.
“History will remember how the ANC, EFF and other parties bulldozed through the decision to have an unfit Mkhwebane appointed into a position that she was never suitable for in the first place despite the DA raising valid concerns about her appointment in 2016.”
The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has on the other hand commended Mkhwebane for her “bravery under the difficult circumstances she endured.”
The party’s spokesperson, Zama Ntshona, has described her impeachment as a sad time for the country’s democratic dispensation.
“That a black woman of a calibre of advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane would be unjustifiably impeached just a few days before her term expires. We are dismayed by the level of cruelty suffered by Mkhwebane at the hands of a black led government that often purports to be fighting for the previously disadvantaged and marginalized groups of our country.”
Ntshona says Monday’s vote in Parliament is nothing, but a clear indication that the DA-led ANC has lost all values of a liberation movement and Ubuntu.
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has slammed the decision by MPs as the gross undermining of democracy.
The party believes that Mkhwebane’s removal was not based on performance, but rather a vindictive pursuit to remove her for investigating President Cyril Ramaphosa.
“Regardless of the deeply flawed nature of the inquiry’s conclusions, it remains indisputable that Mkhwebane is entitled to her compensation. Her Tenure oversaw a multitude of successful investigations and marked the achievement of its first series of clean audits for office.”
The red berets say they reserve their right to take the report on review.
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