Acting Public Protector Gcaleka Says She Will Not Be Pressured Into Rushing Her Probe Into Phala Phala Saga

• Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka declared that she would not buckle under political pressure over the Phala Phala saga
• Gcaleka added that she would not rush the investigation amid growing backlash from political parties
• Earlier this year, opposition parties marched to the public protector's office to demand that Gcaleka release the report

PRETORIA - Acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka says she will not be backed into a corner and rush her investigations into the Phala Phala burglary saga. This comes after the office of the public protector came under fire for supposedly dragging out the probe into the matter.

Opposition parties expressed their dissatisfaction with Gcaleka earlier this year when they marched to her office in Pretoria. The parties accused the acting public protector of violating the Executive Members Ethics Act over Gcaleka's failure to release her report on Phala Phala within 30 days of former spy boss Arthur Fraser's complaint, BBC News reported.

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Earlier this year, in June, Fraser filed criminal charges against President Cyril Ramaphosa for defeating the ends of justice after large sums of US currency were stolen from his Phala Phala farm.

According to SABC News, Gcaleka informed journalists that the public protector's office was at an advanced stage of its investigation into the Phala Phala saga and it was compiling a preliminary draft for a discretionary notice or a Section 79, should the investigation produce adverse findings.

The Section 89 panel released its report on the Phala Phala incident and found that President Ramaphosa may have violated the law in his conduct following the burglary and therefore may have a case to answer to.

South Africans weigh in on acting public protector Kholeka Gcaleka's quiet rebellion

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South Africans have called for acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka to be removed from office.

Below are some reactions:

@Kokobela8 commented:

"She will be removed from that office if she becomes Ramaphosa's protector that office is not for Ramaphosa and she should be reminded about that."

@NtshengedzeniMu added:

"It is not about political pressure but about her failure to comply with what is expected from the office."

@Lele050801 demanded:

"She should serve the public and release those answers."

@MalayContento declared:

"She's talking rubbish."

@Sbokloza claimed:

"That woman is a failure."

@caswellraseleka said:

"This micky-mouse girl was appointed by tsotsi Ramaphosa himself."

Analyst warns Mzansi might foot Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala legal fees if re-elected, SA unfazed: “We don’t care”

In a related story, Briefly News reported a political analyst, Dr Fikile Vilakazi, has warned that if President Cyril Ramaphosa is not unseated from power because of the Phala Phala scandal, South Africans might have to take on the legal fees for any related cases.

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Many South African citizens seem unfazed by Vilakazi's warning, with some pointing out that Ramaphosa has his own money. In contrast, others brushed it off, claiming the same was done for former President Jacob Zuma.

This is what South Africans had to say about potentially having to bankroll Ramaphosa's Phala Phala legal challenges:

Sollisto Shakes pointed out:

"Ramaphosa is a billionaire if you don't know."

Source: Briefly News