Cape Town - The Democratic Alliance has called for the removal of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane after a humiliating defeat of her Bankorp-CIEX report in court.
The North Gauteng High Court on Friday set aside Mkhwebane’s report in which she found that ABSA should repay R1.1 billion.
In a devastating judgment, Mkhwebane was ordered to personally pay 15% of the costs, the other 85% to be paid by her office, which the party said was yet another unnecessary waste of the taxpayer’s money.
"This is not the first time she has wasted precious resources on frivolous court applications," said the party's Justice and Constitutional Development spokesman Glynnis Breytenbach. "Since her appointment, she’s wastefully incurred legal costs including in July 2017, when she withdrew her opposition to an urgent application to set aside her remedial action amending the Constitution; and in February 2017, when she opposed President Jacob Zuma’s review application “merely to comply with the court rules” while still seeking a legal opinion. She only decided to commit to opposing the application in June," said Breytenbach
"By all accounts, Mkhwebane is utterly ineffectual and dangerously out of touch with her mandate as Public Protector. The DA has always maintained that she is not suitable to head up the Office of the Public Protector, as a crucial institution in the fight against injustice and corruption.This latest scathing judgment against her is more proof that she should be immediately removed," Breytenbach said.