ANC must be consistent on Public Protector, says Magashule after Mantashe, Mapaila criticise Mkhwebane
30 June 2019
ANC secretary general Ace Magashule has defended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's office from some of his own comrades who have questioned whether some of her decisions are politically motivated and that she is operating as a hired gun.
"The position of the ANC is that we respect Chapter 9 institutions. We may disagree with her, agree or whatever… People have said we must leave the judiciary, the legislature and Chapter 9 institutions to do their work," Magashule told News24 on Friday.
Mkhwebane made headlines and drew even more attention this week following the news that she was investigating President Cyril Ramaphosa for money laundering to the tune of R400m.
Initial reports indicated she was investigating a R500 000 donation from corruption-linked Bosasa, which is now called the African Global Group, to Ramaphosa's CR17 campaign, which was part of his machinery in the lead-up to the 2017 national executive conference.
The SACP's first deputy president, Solly Mapaila, referred to her as a hired gun, working for "rogue units", while the ANC's national chairperson, Gwede Mantashe, said the Public Protector's investigation into Ramaphosa was political.
"I don't know what comrade Solly has, what information he has… I can't speak on his behalf. What I can say on behalf of the ANC, is we must respect that office even if we have our own views because tomorrow when something happens, we shall have taught South Africa not to respect these institutions, we need to be consistent here," said Magashule.
Ramaphosa's campaign manager, Bejani Chauke, labelled the investigation "baseless and bizarre".
Meanwhile, the president has responded to the Public Protector's notice of the investigation into his alleged violations of the executive ethics code on Wednesday.
A move the ANC, through its national spokesperson Pule Mabe, welcomed.
In a statement, the Presidency said Ramaphosa had submitted documents the same day and that it would, hopefully, assist in concluding the matter.
"This sends a strong message to all South Africans that we are all equal before the law and that the Office of the Public Protector, as a Chapter 9 institution, must be respected," said Mabe on Friday.
