Speaker accedes to panel of experts’ request to extend its timeframe

5 December 2020

Following the announcement by the Speaker on the establishment of the independent panel to conduct a preliminary assessment of the motion for the removal of the Public Protector Adv Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office, the Panel held its first meeting on Wednesday, 2 December.

The Panel, which is comprised of Justice Nkabinde, Adv Ntsebeza SC, and Adv De Waal, has made a submission to the Speaker requesting that the 30-day period prescribed in the rules for it to conduct the inquiry be extended. 

This is premised on the fact that the evidence to be assessed is voluminous and the need to provide the Public Protector with a reasonable period, among other things. 

The Panel has accordingly requested the Speaker to extend its timeframe to 90 days, effective from 25 November. 

The Speaker has considered the request of the Panel, and is of the view that the request is reasonable in the circumstances. It is imperative that the Panel is afforded the necessary time required to carefully study the motion and evidence and, as part of its deliberation, also afford the Public Protector a reasonable period to make submissions. 

The Speaker has noted that the current rule which prescribes the 30-day period, Rule 129X of the Assembly Rules, does not provide for extension. She has therefore decided to invoke Rule 6, which enables the Speaker to frame a temporary Rule to deal with the gap in the current Rules, i.e., "unforeseen eventualities". 

The Rule framed by the Speaker to extend the period within which the Panel will report on its work from 30 days to 90 days, will be published in Parliament's official Papers, "Announcements Tablings and Committees". 

Issued by Parliament, 5 December 2020