Reserve Bank to argue abuse of office by public protector
Busisiwe Mkhwebane faces a surprise new fight for survival after Constitutional Court ruling
The Constitutional Court has given the Reserve Bank the right to argue that public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane “abused her office” with her disastrous investigation of the central bank — in a case that will almost certainly affect Mkhwebane’s fight to remain in her position. “The public protector failed to live up to the standards required of her office during her investigation. She conducted a partisan investigation which was aimed at undermining the Reserve Bank,” the Bank’s lawyers stated in documents before the Constitutional Court. They added that Mkhwebane “also fell egregiously short of her duties” during the litigation that ultimately saw her office’s report on the apartheid-era bail out, given by the Reserve Bank to Bankorp, being overturned. Bankorp was later taken over by Absa. On November 27 Mkhwebane’s legal team will ask SA’s highest court to reverse the estimated R900,000 legal costs bill that she was ordered to pay personally by the Pretoria High Court. The court fo...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.