Mkhwebane’s R147m legal fees an affront to poor citizens
THE outwardly bizarre goings-on in the suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s Section 194 parliamentary impeachment inquiry, in which her legal counsel, Dali Mpofu, suddenly withdrew his representation, is indicative of the state of this nation.
It is becoming a bit of a circus à la Zuma style – the so-called “Stalingrad” tactic – to delay as much as possible proceedings so when her tenure ends in October 2023, she may well be “free” of impeachment, leaving the taxpayer red-faced to foot the bill – the only winners being her legal representatives.
Mkhwebane has a right to legal representation – as do all of us – in any matter of a judicial nature, but the norm of postponements, withdrawal or firing of legal teams, medical “illnesses” that suddenly crop up etc, is the go-to tactic cunningly exploited at the expense of swift and fair justice that need to be meted out.
It is a very profitable business in South Africa for lawyers to represent implicated politicians and public representatives – it is a big-money business, only because the people are paying the legal bills.
Dali Mpofu, not the brightest star in the sky nor the most legally civil, in the writer’s opinion, has played legal gymnastics yet again, obviously in favour of his client’s taxpayer-sponsored longevity – albeit under suspension and drawing a monthly salary until, of course, there will be no need for any continuance of an inquiry.
This sudden turnaround is as ridiculous as it is an affront to our parliamentary and judicial system.
Naturally there will be an attempt to create some “plausible deniability” for such a move, but it does not take rocket science to see the wool is being pulled over one’s eyes.
Ultimately, Mkhwebane's R147 million legal escapade borne by the people of this country – of which her current legal team of Seanego Attorneys and Dali Mpofu will enrich themselves with approximately R49m– is a crying shame and a travesty.
This, while millions of South Africans still go to bed hungry every night!
We need urgent constitutional reforms to redefine methods and processes of dealing with such matters to prevent inordinate and at times irrational delays in proceedings, because if we do not change aspects that continue to allow such delays from occurring, then we cultivate the fertile fields of exploitation by miscreants of public service to deepen the abyss of legal manipulation.
There must be a ceiling to the quantum that any government official, irrespective of status, can be granted in any legal proceedings in which they are implicated.
Thereafter, any costs incurred must be for their account alone and not that of the taxpayer.
The citizens need to – nay, must – act at the ballot box to create change by putting into power public representatives who genuinely care about this country and will protect and advance their interests, so that the public purse is used primarily for their benefit and not for a burgeoning and well-connected elite that exploit and misuse the bread and butter of all South Africans.
NARENDH GANESH | Durban North