Committee 'will pick best candidate for Public Protector job'

27 May 2016

Cape Town – ANC MP Dr Makhosi Khoza will lead the process to find a suitable candidate to replace Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.

Khoza was on Friday elected as the chairperson of the ad hoc committee tasked with finding a replacement for Madonsela before her term ends in October.

The committee has until August 31 to report to the National Assembly.

Khoza said she was looking forward to the process.

She said the first meeting of the committee would be next week, during the recess period.

"We need to meet so that we can go through all the process issues, and anything else that may arise that is important for us to take into account. I will assure you that we will select the best individual for the job and collectively I think we will be able to arrive at an appropriate decision," she said.

The Public Protector position is fixed at seven years.

According to the Public Protector Act, the successful candidate must be:

- A South African citizen who is a fit and proper person to hold such office and who is a judge of a High Court, or

- Is admitted as an advocate or an attorney and has, for 10 years, practised, or

- Is qualified to be admitted as an advocate or an attorney and has, for 10 years after qualifying, lectured in law at a university, or

- Has specialised knowledge of or experience, of at least 10 years, in the administration of justice, public administration or public finance or

- Has, for at least 10 years, been a member of Parliament.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.