Latest news with #BusisiweMkhwebane
IOL News
3 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
'Disappointing': Busi Mkhwebane criticises Ramaphosa's SAPS inquiry as a waste of resources
Mpumalanga convenor of the MK party, former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane. Image: Independent Newspapers Former Public Protector and Umkhonto weSizwe (MK party) Mpumalanga convenor, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, has lambasted President Cyril Ramaphosa's move to place embattled Police Minister Senzo Mchunu on special leave, and the establishment of a commission of inquiry into allegations regarding law enforcement agencies. IOL reported on Sunday that while the placement of Mchunu on special leave was applauded by some, the decision to establish a commission of inquiry into allegations regarding the South African Police Service (SAPS) was largely criticised. Political analysts said that the commission could be a waste of time and resources, like the Zondo commission, which was established to investigate the allegations of State Capture in 2019. In an interview with broadcaster Newzroom Afrika, Mkwebane said the resources channeled towards the commission of inquiry could be funneled towards improving the SAPS. "I would say, being the former Public Protector, it is very disappointing. The country is in tatters, and the decision that the president has taken, won't take us any further. We are still going to be impacted because no commission of inquiry was ever implemented. The president has usurped the powers of Chapter 9 institutions. The worst part is that the commission of inquiry just makes recommendations, holding the country in suspense. "We need resources, as Mpumalanga as well, we need resources. You put a minister on special leave, why not remove the minister, because the president, in terms of the Constitution, has the powers to do that immediately. Why waste resources? You appoint somebody who is a director of Corruption Watch, funded by foreign backers like George Soros. I think he is putting the country deep, deep into trouble and that will impact us as a province." Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Prof. Firoz Cachalia Image: Facebook Ramaphosa announced the appointment of Professor Cachalia as acting minister of police, pending the outcome of the commission of inquiry. Cachalia, a legal academic and chairperson of the National Anti-Corruption Advisory Council, will assume the role in August. Cachalia, 66, is a former anti-apartheid activist, lawyer, academic, and experienced public servant. Born in Benoni in 1958, he became involved in student politics against apartheid in the late 1970s and 1980s. Mkhwebane said the province of Mpumalanga, like other provinces in South Africa, is bedevilled by massive unemployment levels. She said fighting the scourge of corruption requires a head-on approach, not commissions of inquiry. "That money should have been utilised to make sure that the police are quick, they arrest and remove people who are not supposed to be there because there is evidence which commissioner (KwaZulu-Natal provincial police commissioner Nhlanhla) Mkhwanazi has delivered. I think this is disappointing," she said. Ramaphosa on Sunday announced his decision to establish the commission of inquiry and place Mchunu on special leave following allegations made by Mkhwanazi, who accused Mchunu of sabotaging a probe into political killings by seizing 121 open case files in March and pushing to disband the team tasked with the probe. Mkhwanazi claimed that Mchunu had connections to members of a crime syndicate. He also accused some senior police officials of being involved in corruption. IOL News
News24
23-05-2025
- Politics
- News24
Unmoved by Mkhwebane's ‘suffering', ConCourt denies direct access appeal over R10m gratuity
The Constitutional Court has refused ex-Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's bid to direct access appeal to it over the denial of the R10 million gratuity she insists is due to her – despite her claims of worsening suffering as a result of that absent cash. In a unanimous ruling, Chief Justice Mandisa Maya and her court said it had 'considered the application for leave to appeal directly to it and has concluded that no case has been made out for a direct appeal'. 'Consequently, leave to appeal is refused. The court has decided not to award costs,' the apex court stated. Mkhwebane had argued it was 'in the interests of justice' for the apex court to deal with her challenge to the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria's dismissal of her gratuity demand 'expeditiously since my suffering is prolonged and worsened with every day that passes without my gratuity having been paid out'.
