SHE COMES IN, AND WITHIN SIX MONTHS, WHAT TOOK THE OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC PROTECTOR 11 YEARS, IS RESOLVED

Responding, he said he knew little about them, other than what he had read in newspapers or seen on television. He said he could only comment on a charge of incompetence.

“I definitely dispute that, based on our experience. After going through 11 years of no intervention and assistance, she comes in, and within six months, what took the office of the public protector 11 years, is resolved,” Nyathela said.

But, Bawa then took him through documents to show Mkhwebane’s predecessors had dealt with the funding issue and had overseen the signing of two settlement agreements.

Bawa then took Nyathela through each of the cases he lodged with the office of the public protector and asked him how he would respond if it was suggested he was a “persistent complainer.

“It’s our office. It’s for us. If we had financial muscles, we would have taken this department to court — and won. We would have taken them to the highest court because this is abuse of power, it is trampling on our constitutional rights and the bill of rights,” he said.

Questioned by the committee, Nyathela insisted that once Mkhwebane took office “things changed for the better for us”.

The inquiry continues on Thursday.