Most parties favour new Chapter 9 head change rules

MOST parties in the National Assembly have backed new rules that allow for the axing of the public protector.

ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said the rules would focus on the removal of any head of a Chapter 9 institution if there were allegations against him or her.

There are several Chapter 9 institutions that report to Parliament.

The rules, which have received the support of up to 271 MPs, were established after Public Protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane was locked in a fight with Parliament over her removal from office.

This forced the National Assembly to draft the rules on her axing, or those heading other Chapter 9 institutions.

Dlakude indicated there would be four stages that would allow for an inquiry to be held.

“An inquiry must be (held) in a fair manner and concluded in a fair time frame,” she said.

Dlakude told the House yesterday the national legislature had the power to make its own rules.

Parliament has not yet indicated when work will begin.

The DA tried, at least three times, to have Mkhwebane expunged from office.

At the time, the party insisted court cases against Mkhwebane were an indictment of her performance, and highlighted that she had failed even in some of her litigation matters.

But Mkhwebane said she was of the view that she had conducted her work well so far. Instead, she highlighted the challenges she had faced. She told MPs a few months ago her budget was not able to cover most things she wanted, and to employ more investigators.

ANC MPs were initially divided on the DA’s motion to remove Mkhwebane, however there were no objections to the adoption of the report on the rules.