Public protector’s patience with DA wanes

PRETORIA: Public Protector Busi Mkhwebane said yesterday her patience with the DA, which accused her of being a government spy, has lapsed and she will now be suing the opposition party after failing to get an apology from it.

“I have given enough time to do that (for it to withdraw and apologise) and they have not done it, so indeed now I’m seriously considering and I will be taking legal action on that matter. This matter impacts on the integrity of this institution. I don’t think this institution would love to be led by a spy,” Mkhwebane said.

“The allegations which have been made that I was a spy when I was in China, I said I was giving them the opportunity to withdraw that and apologise.

“So within my 100 days at the helm of the Public Protector’s office, it was too early for me.”

Mkhwebane says she does her work without fear or favour.

“I think political parties decided to vote for me because of my performance and of what I did. I am still committed to do my work without fear or favour,” she said.

Regarding her opening of a criminal case with the police over her predecessor Thuli Madonsela’s leaking of an audio interview with President Jacob Zuma during her state capture investigation, Mkhwebane said she was doing her job.

“We wanted the police to investigate when those audios leaked and they were taken to eNCA or whoever after the term of advocate Madonsela. The issue of when was that audio released is a question which needs to be investigated,” she said.

“It’s about making sure that we address these issues of leaks and we know that the integrity of this office is maintained.”

Mkhwebane reportedly laid the charges at the Brooklyn Police Station in Pretoria following a complaint from Zuma.

She blamed the media for creating the wrong perception that she hated Madonsela.

“The media is the one saying I hate Thuli Madonsela.

“I don’t hate advocate Thuli Madonsela.

“We work together. Even though the audio of Madonsela’s interview with President Jacob Zuma was released, we spoke and she was requesting information because she was getting a lot of media queries,” said Mkhwebane. – ANA