Public Protector not losing sleep over claims she is targeting Gordhan, Ramapahosa

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and President Cyril Ramaphosa. Picture: Siyabulela Duda/GCIS

Published Jun 6, 2019

Share

Durban - Despite having some of her reports set aside by courts and facing claims that she is targeting Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and President Cyril Ramaphosa, Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane, says she is not losing sleep.

Fresh from issuing a Section 7 (9) notice to Gordhan last week, Mkhwebane issued another to Ramaphosa over the controversial R500 000 donation by Bosasa to his campaign funds ahead of the 2017 Nasrec ANC conference.

Speaking through her spokesperson, Oupa Segalwe, on Thursday, Mkhwebane said the investigation against Ramaphosa stems from a complaint by DA leader Mmusi Maimane. She said the complaint was not from a “faction” of the governing party, which she is purportedly beholden to.

“The Public Protector does not lose sleep over the unsubstantiated claims that she is targeting President Ramaphosa and Minister Gordhan. First, she does not go around fishing for complaints against the two. People lodge complaints and she entertains such complaints in line with the constitutional provision that this office must be accessible to all persons and communities,” Segalwe said on behalf of Mkhwebane.

Segalwe added that since taking office, Adv. Mkhwebane has dealt with just under 50 000 investigations and only two implicated Gordhan and one concerned the President.

“It is difficult to fathom how this amounts to them being targeted. Similarly, in the 20 months she has been in office, Adv. Mkhwebane has issued 100 formal investigation reports. Only one was against Minister Gordhan and there is no report yet against the President. Again we ask, how exactly is she targeting them?”

The Presidency had not responded to questions sent for responses. 

Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Khusela Diko, was apparently locked in meetings.

Political Bureau

Related Topics:

Cyril Ramaphosa