THE recommendation of the National Assembly that advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane be nominated for appointment as public protector has again put the issue of the independence of state institutions on the table. This comes as perceptions mount that it is only the office of the public protector, the auditor-general and the judiciary that still maintain the independence that is constitutionally enshrined. Others such as the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the Hawks have been damaged by political interference, and their leadership has become politically tainted. In large part, this has come about not by changes to the institutions, but through the appointment of politically compromised leaders. So, although, for example, a court has found that the dropping of about 700 fraud and corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma was irrational and illegal, NPA head Sean Abrahams has failed to reinstate the charges, instead entering another round of legal appeals. This has lent weight t...
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