Busi abused office – ex-staffer

Former public protector operations chief Basani Baloyi stands by her claim that Busisiwe Mkhwebane abused her office and acted in her personal interests when she dismissed Baloyi.

In her replying affidavit, Baloyi said it was a matter that not only affected her, but was also in the interests of the public.

Baloyi wants her labour dispute to be heard on an urgent basis.

“The public protector intentionally misunderstands the claim for urgency. While personal harm is not decisive of urgency, when combined with the clear public harm, the case is urgent.

“It is urgent because the relief sought is necessary in order to protect the integrity and independence of the office of the public protector,” Baloyi said.

Baloyi has taken Mkhwebane and public protector CEO Vusi Mahlangu to court over her axing, which she said was part of a purge. She also wants the court to declare that Mkhwebane acted unconstitutionally, violating her obligations towards independence.

She said the two acted with ulterior motives in dismissing her and demonstrated these alleged motives with examples of reports which Mkhwebane and Mahlangu unfairly prioritised while ignoring vital information to achieve personal goals.

Mkhwebane wants the matter of her “unconstitutional behaviour” struck out because the allegations are “scandalous, vexatious and/or irrelevant”.

Baloyi said this was “understandable”: “Those allegations demonstrate that she and the CEO have abused their office… she had no answer on the facts, so she has no choice but to seek to strike out the averments.” – News24 Wire