MPs back new rules to axe protector
THE majority of political parties in the National Assembly have backed new rules which allow for the axing of the public protector.
In tabling a report in Parliament yesterday, ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said the rules in question would focus on the removal of any head of a Chapter 9 institution if there are allegations against him or her.
There are currently several Chapter 9 institutions that report to Parliament.
The new rules, which have received the support of up to 271 MPs, were established after Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane was locked in a fight with Parliament over her removal from office.
This forced the National Assembly to sit down and draft the rules on her axing or those heading other Chapter 9 institutions.
Dlakude, meanwhile, indicated that there would be four stages that would allow for an inquiry to be held.
She, however, maintained that due processes had to be followed in the establishment of the inquiry and how it would be run.
“An inquiry must be (held) in a fair manner and concluded in a fair time frame,” she said.
Dlakude told the House yesterday that the national legislature had the power to make its own rules.
Parliament has not yet indicated how soon work will begin.
Meanwhile, the DA previously tried to have Mkhwebane expunged from office, but failed on three occasions.
At the time, the party insisted that court cases against Mkhwebane were an indictment on her performance and highlighted that she had even failed in some of her litigation matters.
But Mkhwebane denied this saying she was of the view that she had conducted her work well.
Instead, she highlighted the challenges she has been faced with.
She told MPs a few months ago that her budget was not able to cover most of the things she wanted and hire more investigators.
While ANC MPs were first divided on the DA’s motion to remove Mkhwebane, in the adoption of the report on the new rules this week, there were no objections from any of the MPs.