Cape Town - The United Democratic Movement on Thursday accused the ANC and its affiliates of waging an aggressive and concerted campaign to undermine trust in the public protector.
“The UDM is outraged at the sustained attack on the public protector by the various offshoots of the ANC,” UDM leader Bantu Holomisa said in a statement.
“Instead of supporting advocate 1/8Thuli 3/8 Madonsela, the only aim is to erode the confidence in her office... and give credence to its internal and non-independent structures.”
Holomisa said government was incapable of investigating its “own misconduct” in an impartial manner, and therefore the findings of the inter-ministerial task team on public funded-work at President Jacob Zuma's private Nkandla homestead in KwaZulu-Natal could not be placed on a par with Madonsela's.
In her report titled “Secure in Comfort”, Madonsela found that Zuma had unduly benefited from improvements, including a cattle kraal and swimming pool, built with state money, and should refund a portion of the R246 million cost.
The earlier inter-ministerial report exonerated the president and has repeatedly been cited by African National Congress officials following the release of Madonsela's findings last week.
On Wednesday, ANC chief whip Stone Sizani criticised Madonsela for releasing her report in public before tabling it in Parliament and accused her of exceeding her mandate.
“This unwarranted aggressive stance by Mr Sizani echoes that of Cosas, the ANCYL, Cosatu, and the SACP,” Holomisa said.
“The ANC and their partners are hell-bent on, and without shame or embarrassment, executing a plan that the media has reported on for days before the release of the report.”
The comments from the ruling party reflected the negativity that preceded the disbanding of the Scorpions elite investigating unit.
“We have witnessed a similar onslaught during the time before the demise of the Scorpions and the undue influence exerted in the NPA,” he said.
Sapa