PUBLIC PROTECTOR
Busisiwe Mkhwebane pleads incompetence rather than malice in Bankorp investigation
Public protector’s counsel concedes possibility of errors and poor judgment, but denies she acted in bad faith
Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s advocate says she may have shown “bad judgment”, “misdirected herself” and made “errors” in her investigation into the Reserve Bank’s apartheid-era Bankorp bailout, but he denies she acted in bad faith. Advocate Vuyani Ngalwana told Constitutional Court justices on Tuesday that Mkhwebane sought to clarify these “mistakes”, which he maintained were not acts of deliberate deception. “Why so many errors?” Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng asked. “You make an error, you clarify it. You make another error, you clarify it. You make another error, you clarify it. What is the meaning of this?” Ngalwana responded: “The only submission I can make is that this is indicative of a public protector under siege.” He revealed that Mkhwebane also faces two court cases regarding her Estina Dairy Project investigation, in which personal costs orders are being sought against her. Mkhwebane came under fire recently for her “preliminary investigation” of public enterpris...
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.