Government takes Protector to court

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela received more criticism from the justice ministry for her remarks to the media. File picture: Thobile Mathonsi

Public Protector Thuli Madonsela received more criticism from the justice ministry for her remarks to the media. File picture: Thobile Mathonsi

Published May 15, 2014

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Johannesburg - The government is taking the Public Protector to court over her Nkandla report.

“The security cluster ministers have resolved to take the Public Protector’s report on the security upgrades installed in the private residence of the President (“the Nkandla report”) on judicial review by the High Court,” said national government spokeswoman Phumla Williams in a statement on Thursday.

“The grounds of the review will be fully canvassed in the review papers.”

The report by Public Protector Thuli Madonsela on state spending on President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla homestead has embarrassed the government, particularly as it was used to score political points by opposition parties in the run up to the recent election.

Zuma has repeatedly said that he has done nothing wrong.

The government plans to challenge Madonsela’s report on legal technicalities relating to the Public Protector’s powers.

“It is the ministers’ view that the Public Protector’s report and the investigation she conducted trespass on the separation of powers doctrine and offend against section 198(d) of the Constitution which vests national security in Parliament and National Executive,” said Williams.

“It is also the ministers’ view that some of the findings and remedial action proposed by the Public Protector in her report are irrational, contradictory and are informed by material errors of law. The ministers’ legal team has been instructed to prepare and file review papers in due course.”

The Star

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