Babalo Ndenze
Political Bureau
OPPOSITION MPs came to Public Protector Thuli Madonsela’s defence during a tense justice committee meeting yesterday, accusing ruling party MPs of “ganging up” on her.
Tension between ANC MPs and Madonsela intensified as they took her to task over outstanding responses from last year and for her comments on a judgment by Western Cape High Court Judge Ashton Schippers, which she described as a “cut and paste” job.
Madonsela was briefing the committee on her office’s strategic plan and budget. She is asking for a baseline increase of R200 million to deal with capacity and other constraints. Some members of the committee said they would not support Madonsela’s budget if she failed to address certain outstanding issues.
“What is happening now is that we are reminded of the structure and the need to fund a structure, things that we were told last year. Which means that this session has actually become meaningless, and what you have been doing is really to motivate the same motivation as last year,” said committee chairman Mathole Motshekga.
He said Madonsela addressed a number of things instead of “addressing internal issues” of the Office of the Public Protector.
Werner Horn, of the DA, said:
“I rise on a point of order chairperson. In terms of the rules of Parliament I think you are abusing your power at this stage. You are to chair this meeting. The public protector presented, as she said, as she deemed fit. You are presenting at this stage a view of the committee which you have not consulted… at all,” said Horn.
DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach said Motshekga should focus on chairing the meeting, prompting Motshekga to ask her to “just behave”.
Breytenbach said after the meeting that the DA would move for a motion of no confidence in Motshekga.
“Dr Motshekga is intent on using every opportunity to further a political agenda by depriving the Office of the Public Protector of vital resourcing,” said Breytenbach.
The African Christian Democratic Party’s Steve Swart asked:
“I want to align myself with my colleagues, and the presentation today deals with the strategic plan and budget. No other institution you have asked to reflect on last year’s report.
“Why are you asking the public protector?”
ANC MP Charlotte Pilane Majake said there was something “foreign” about the committee.
“I don’t know why it appears as if there is that move of trying to defend the public protector. They are here to present and they will actually talk for themselves,” she said.
EFF chief whip Floyd Shivambu said he saw nothing wrong with Madonsela making her own observations on court judgments, saying “even President Jacob Zuma does that”.
“We need to leave aside the childish and unsophisticated attack on the public protector and deal with serious issues. We need to protect the public protector and unashamedly so,” said Shivambu.
Responding to the debate, Madonsela apologised to the ANC MP, who said she wasted seven minutes of the committee’s time, and to Judge Schippers. “We might dislike each other, and I hope we don’t because it’s a waste to dislike somebody. It’s allowing them to rent space in your head. But we might. If you choose to dislike me, it’s your democratic right to do so,” Madonsela said.
“But always remember that when you’re going to make a decision, it is about your responsibility. You hold a position of trust and you hold it in good faith. So don’t not support this budget because I am not here.”
She said it “pains” her when MPs said they might consider not supporting the budget if she didn’t come back to Parliament next week.