Suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s Office Spent Over R147m in Legal Fees, Inquiry Hears

• The parliamentary inquiry heard that the Public Protector’s office spent over R147 million on legal fees since 2016
• In 2019/2020 the legal costs increased dramatically, with more than R48 million over-expenditure from R13 million
• Mkhwebane’s legal team was paid over R55 million in fees, and of that Advocate Dali Mpofu received more than R12 million

CAPE TOWN - More than R147 million was spent by the Public Protector’s office on legal fees since 2016. The details were disclosed during suspended Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s parliamentary inquiry into her fitness to hold office.

The senior manager of legal services in the office, Neels van der Merwe, gave testimony and said in the 2016/2017 period the legal fees paid amounted to R6.4 million of the R13 million that was set aside. However, in 2019/2020 the legal costs increased dramatically with an over-expenditure of more than R48 million.

Read also

SARS donates millions of seized items to KZN flood victims, citizens welcome humanitarian effort

Van der Merwe said the growing litigation costs meant that other costs had been cut. He said investigators were restricted from physically conducting inspections and could not interview witnesses in person.

The senior manager said the cost-cutting also significantly impacted training. He said results in the number of reviews increased, which had a ripple effect on legal costs, making less money available for operations.

TimesLIVE reported that Van der Merwe confirmed invoices and payments made to law firms representing the Public Protector’s office. During the inquiry, the committee also heard that Mkhwebane’s legal team, Seanego Attorneys, has been handsomely paid off since 2018.

According to evidence brought forward, the legal firm had been paid over R55 million in fees. News24 reported that of the amount, Advocate Dali Mpofu was the highest-paid counsel and received more than R12 million.

Read also

Government sets aside R13 billion to tackle gender-based violence in South Africa, citizens unimpressed

Mzansi reacts to the legal costs:

@Malakoaneelvis said:

“This woman will end up in jail, she is unscrupulous.”

@PetersWonderboy commented:

“And it is an office that deals with legal matters, all the time. So, it is to be expected. And it has to defend its decisions in court. Courts/Justice is an expensive affair in SA. It is what it is.”

@SibusisoThabede posted:

“The office should be called: Office to defend Public Protector!”

Busisiwe Mkhwebane says the defence team did not withdraw, compares proceedings to an abusive relationship

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported that suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane said she was not surprised when her legal team walked out of the hearing into her fitness to hold office last week. She claims that the team did not withdraw from the hearing.

Mkhwebane said the situation was “blown out of proportion” following the walkout. She appeared in court on Tuesday, 1 November, continuing to fight for her job. During an interview with eNCA, the suspended public protector compared the court proceedings to being in an abusive relationship. She said:

Read also

SA government spends a whooping R131 million on over 300 suspended workers

“I was forced to sit. I asked to be excused. I can’t sit on a proceeding where my legal representatives are not there.”

Source: Briefly News