LETTER: Public protector can police the executive
The office has the power to investigate allegations of money laundering
Genevieve Quintal is mistaken to think the public protector does not have jurisdiction to investigate money laundering (or indeed any criminal activity) on the part of a member of the executive (“Legal costs: president could set an example (https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/opinion/columnists/2019-07-05-genevieve-quintal-the-president-should-pay-the-bill-if-he-challenges-mkhwebane/)”, July 5).
The Executive Members’ Ethics Act of 1998 makes it clear that it is a breach of ethics to engage in crime. While it is so that the act specifies that an investigation under it, the preserve of the public protector, does not prevent or delay a criminal case in court, this very provision makes it clear that criminality falls within the scope of the act. The precedents set in the Nkandla and state capture reports by the previous public protector also make it clear that crimes are covered by the act...
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