Johannesburg -
Patriotic Alliance (PA) general secretary Kenny Kunene has launched a scathing attack on Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
He accuses her of failing to probe service delivery and maladministration complaints against the DA-led Western Cape government.
In an open letter on Thursday, Kunene claimed Madonsela had ignored various complaints from PA members against the DA’s “clear abuse of power” because she was sympathetic to Helen Zille’s organisation.
Madonsela’s spokeswoman, Kgalalelo Masibi, dismissed the claims, saying no complaints about service delivery were registered in the Western Cape by any political party.
The former “Sushi King” said he believed allegations by DA defectors to the PA that Madonsela might have sympathies for the official opposition. “The speed with which you investigate cases reported by the DA isn’t the same as that reported by anyone else.
“It is as if you are on the DA’s speed dial. You addressed a DA rally in 2012 and were unapologetic about it. You even tried to feign ignorance that you didn’t know it was a DA rally,” said Kunene, who unceremoniously resigned from Julius Malema’s EFF to form the PA with his friend Gayton McKenzie.
Kunene is the latest politician to attack Madonsela or accuse her of bias. Others include ANC secretary-general Gwede Mantashe, who recently accused her of targeting President Jacob Zuma, as well as ANC national executive committee member Bheki Cele, who accused her of running a kangaroo court.
Kunene demanded to know why Madonsela had not investigated “the DA’s clear abuses of power in the Western Cape, such as the illegal evictions of the Marikana shack dwellers at Philippi”.
He said: “We all agree that there is corruption in the ANC-led government. It is right for you to investigate all of that corruption as per your constitutional mandate. But there have been times when you have been no better than the people you investigate.”
Masibi wouldn’t be drawn into commenting on Kunene’s claims that Madonsela was sympathetic to the DA.
Approached for clarity, Kunene said the complainants were not necessary from the party, but from members in their personal capacity.
Kunene also claimed that the DA had “many servants” within the National Prosecuting Authority. “They have also deployed many members within the upper echelons of the media; that much was clear when their party list came out,” Kunene said.
“Those very same DA people told us months ago that Glynnis Breytenbach was being prepared to join the DA.
“They told us about the secret DA donor who was forcing Helen Zille to go into a coalition with Mamphela Ramphele. We struggled to believe it then. Now it’s all an accepted fact,” he added.
The Star