Johannesburg - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) will support Public Protector Busi Mkhwebane’s bid to halt the Parliamentary process to oust her following the DA tabling a motion to have her axed.
ATM national chairperson Mandisa Mashiya announced on Thursday that the party was served by Mkhwebane’s lawyers with her urgent application against National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise.
”We have forwarded the papers to our attorneys with instructions to support the application which calls for the Speaker to suspend the process until the constitutionality of the rules has been confirmed by the courts,” Mashiya said.
Like all parties represented in Parliament, the ATM is cited as a respondent along with Modise.
”We hold a view that the speaker has a duty to be seen to be neutral and independent, she should not oppose the application but should welcome the opportunity for the courts to give much needed clarity,” Mashiya said.
She added that the process of removing one of the heads of the six Chapter 9 institutions was new and unprecedented in South Africa.
According to Mashiya, the ATM was shocked upon reading Mkhwebane’s court papers that the new rules are nothing but a cut and paste job from the rules making provision for the removal of the president.
”We have written to the Speaker asking her to postpone her processes and allow the courts a chance to resolve the dispute,” she said.
Last week, Mkhwebane said she had, through her lawyers, written to Modise bringing to her attention the many deficiencies of the rules adopted in December and requested her to respond to her request.
Modise approved the DA’s motion last month but Mkhwebane demanded an undertaking that the process be temporarily halted.