Lungani Zungu
This was the week in which the ANC in parliament rallied behind President Cyril Ramaphosa.
On Tuesday, a clear majority of members of the National Assembly gave the green light for an inquiry into the fitness of Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane to hold office.
But it was not enough to silence embattled ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule, who heads an opposing faction in the party.
Magashule jumped to the defence of Mkhwebane. Speaking on Durban-based Gagasi FM, he lashed out at the MPs who voted in favour of the inquiry.
The contentious issue of what to do with Mkhwebane has divided the ANC’s top brass.
ANC national chairman Gwede Mantashe told the party MPs to vote in favour of the inquiry.
Of the 230 ANC MPs, 62 did not attend the voting session on Tuesday in the National Assembly.
But the DA and some ANC MPs had more than enough votes that were required for the setting up of the parliamentary inquiry.
If removed before the end of the term in 2023, Mkhwebane will be the first public protector not to finish the seven-year term.
On Wednesday, Mkhwebane said she was targeted for doing her job.
Without mentioning names, she said: “I am persecuted by the executive, some in the judiciary and legislature who took an oath to defend the Constitution”.
In a turn of events, Julius Malema’s EFF, which once accused Mkhwebane of being a Gupta stooge, voted against the motion brought by the DA.
The African Transformation Movement, the UDM and Al Jama-ah also voted against the inquiry.
An independent review panel established by National Speaker Thandi Modise last year found that there was evidence of incompetence and misconduct against Mkhwebane.
Picture source: @kaizerchiefs
