Mkhwebane Becomes 1st Public Protector to Be Impeached, EFF Says Removal Was Unconstitutional

• Members of Parliament have decided to impeach Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane
• Mkhwebane was the first Public Protector to be kicked out of office for misconduct
• South Africans have mixed reactions to Mkhwebane's removal, with the EFF saying it undermines democracy

CAPE TOWN - Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane is the first Public Protector to ever get impeached in South Africa.

This comes after Members of Parliament voted with an overwhelming majority to impeach her on Monday, 11 September, for misconduct and incompetence. The vote took place following the Section 194 inquiry concluded she was not fit to serve.

5 Political parties support Mkhwebane's removal

According to News24, Mkhwebane's conduct was called into question after she was accused of leading politically charged investigations.

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The investigations include the South African Reserve Bank/CIEX matter, the Vrede dairy farm scam, the South African Revenue Service investigating unit and President Cyril Ramaphosa's bank statement for the CR17 campaign.

MPs were given an opportunity to state their reasons for how they would vote. The ANC, ACDP, DA, IFP and the FF+ voted to have her removed.

EFF rejects Mkhwebane's impeachment

Shortly after Mkhwebane's impeachment, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) issued a statement rejecting the former PP's removal. The party said Mkhwebane's removal undermines the constitution and Chapter 9 institutions.

The EFF accused President Cyril Ramaphosa of using every institution to cover up money laundering allegations related to the Phala Phala farm theft and targeting Mkhwebane to stop her investigations.

The Red Berets added that her impeachment trial was unfair because at some points, she to had to proceed without legal representation. Due to her impeachment, Mkhwebane lost her R10 million pension., but the EFF stated that she's entitled to her compensation because of the cases she's worked on.

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Read the full statement here:

South Africans react to Busisiwe Mkhwebane's impeachment

@Puleng_Nathane said:

"Busisiwe Mkhwebane cleared Msebenzi Zwane in that Vrede dairy farm scandal, and today Zwane voted her out because of borotho. Hai, to walk is to see shame."

@edo7662774 said:

"No tears for this one at all. She wanted to be a politician and she has learnt how dangerous the political space can be. She's lost R10m now. Good riddance. She wanted to topple the sitting president and these are the consequences."

@Xhanga_Biggz said:

"I still feel she should have resigned, she never had a chance of winning this one."

@thembelanilato2 said:

"What exactly did she do except for chasing Cyril and attending RET forces gang parties? What did she accomplish or champion for blacks?"

MPs accused of bribing Mkhwebane’s husband cleared

Briefly News previously reported that the Members of Parliament accused of soliciting bribes from suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane's husband, David Skosana, have been cleared of wrongdoing.

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Skosana claimed three MPs approached him and asked for a bribe to ensure his wife's impeachment trial went her way.

According to SowetanLIVE, an investigation was conducted by Parliament's Ethics Committe, which found ANC MPs Pemmy Majodina and Richard Dyantyi did not solicit bribes from Skosana.

Source: Briefly News