ANC STATEMENT ON THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR CLAIM

The ANC find the claim of the Public Protector that the letter to President Zuma was leaked by a senior ANC leader to be preposterous and outrageous. We call on the Public Protector to reveal the senior ANC leader who leaked her disputed letter to the media. Her accusation suggest that she is in the know of who is behind the leakage and we view this in serious light.

It is interesting that almost all investigations conducted by the Public Protector are prematurely leaked to the media and not once has she taken responsibility. The consistency of these leakages suggest that it is a ploy by the Public Protector's Office to test public opinion or response before releasing her reports. Often the leaked
reports  are explained as incomplete which suggests that it is her office that can leak them.

The Public Protector always portrays herself as a victim when reports find a way to the media. This conduct erodes public confidence in the Office of the Public Protector and the consistency undermine the expectation of confidentiality expected from public entities who are entrusted with public's trust.

The unfortunate nature of these leakages is that they may have a negative impact on the public image of those investigated even before they themselves can be appraised of the preliminary findings. We are hopeful that the Public Protector will expose those individuals behind the leakages to restore respect and confidence in the Office of the Public Protector. Her failure to do can only confirm our fears that her office is responsible for these confidence eroding leakages.

Statement issued by Zizi Kodwa, ANC national spokesperson, August 25 2014

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