Public protectors were out of line
Zuma’s advocate says Madonsela cannot order probe into state capture
Just as the public protector overstepped her powers with recommending that the Reserve Bank’s mandate must be changed, she also overstepped her mandate in ordering the president to institute a judicial commission of inquiry into state capture, President Jacob Zuma argued on Tuesday. Adv Ishmael Semenya SC for the president argued that the two public protectors made remedial orders beyond the scope of their powers in both these matters. Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane was forced to backtrack on the remedial action in which she said Parliament should change the mandate of the Bank. The order to institute the commission of inquiry was made by Mkhwebane’s predecessor Thuli Madonsela. The DA’s application for a declaratory order to force the president to implement the commission of inquiry was heard in the High Court in Pretoria on Tuesday. The party also asked the court to declare that Zuma had violated his constitutional obligations by not implementing the remedial actions. Zuma ma...
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