![]() ![]() Read more in Daily Maverick: Mkhwebane called Pravin Gordhan ‘a threat to democracy’, and other bombshells at Public Protector impeachment hearingįor a detailed breakdown of the secrecy surrounding Mkhwebane calling Pravin Gordhan “a threat to democracy”, and other bombshells at the Public Protector impeachment hearing, read Karyn Maughan and Kirsten Pearson’s Nuclear: Inside South Africa’s Secret Deal, published in 2022. Mkhwebane has consistently insisted that she has always acted “without fear or favour” as the head of an independent Chapter 9 institution. In an email Mkhwebane sent to an investigator that was shown at her inquiry, Gordhan was described as “a threat of democracy” who needed to be “stopped before he causes more harm in the guise of cleaning”. Mkhwebane’s investigations, including later probes into Ramaphosa’s campaign funding, were kept on a tight leash, with only her and two trusted investigators working on them, circumventing all quality controls at her office. Witnesses have also revealed how Mkhwebane, soon after her appointment by Zuma, began to weaponise her office, reviving old investigations to target specifically Gordhan, the Treasury and the South African Revenue Service (SARS). The inquiry has heard that Mkhwebane had omitted her meetings with the SSA and Zuma, which took place during her CIEX-Bankorp (later Absa) investigation, from her Rule 52 court record. ![]() They are expected to vote on Mkhwebane’s impeachment (or not) before the end of her term of office in October 2023. The impeachment committee consists of 26 members representing 14 political parties in the National Assembly. Read more in Daily Maverick: Inside Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s State Security Agency-riddled Public Protector’s Office Many members of Zuma’s Cabinet at the time have also been implicated, including former minister of state security David Mahlobo, who remains in active government service. The SSA has been accused of running an illegal parallel agency with access to unlimited public funds in order to bolster Zuma’s personal and political power. So far, more than 20 witnesses have delivered shocking testimony to Mkhwebane’s impeachment inquiry of how the State Security Agency (SSA) – heavily implicated in the High Level Review Panel and the State Capture Report – involved itself with her office, including Arthur Fraser, its former director-general. Gigaba was thankfully axed when Cyril Ramaphosa beat Zuma to lead the ANC that December. That is until Zuma’s midnight reshuffle in 2017, when he replaced Gordhan with Malusi Gigaba, a good friend of the Guptas. Instead, Gordhan found himself back in the hot seat with the keys to the kingdom safely back in his pocket.įormer Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba testifies at the Zondo Commission on 21 June 2021 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Molefe was prepared to fling open the doors of the Treasury, smoothing the way for the deal with Russia and Rosatom as well as others with Denel Asia, SAA and PetroSA. He was replaced by David van Rooyen, but after another national outcry Zuma began to position former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe for the job. Nene testified to the Zondo Commission that he had faced enormous pressure to sign off on the nuclear deal. He was replaced in 2014 by Nhlanhla Nene, who served as finance minister until December 2015. Gordhan had been shuffled out of the Cabinet by Zuma once before. In April 2017, thousands of South Africans across the country took to the streets after Zuma had fired the finance minister and his deputy, Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas, respectively, leading to South Africa’s slide into “junk” status and calls for Zuma to resign. Read more in Daily Maverick: Busisiwe Mkhwebane claims probe nothing more than ANC and DA political witch-hunt for touching ‘untouchables’ Mkhwebane in the eye of the storm (Photo: Gallo Images / Netwerk24 / Edrea du Toit) Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane on the red carpet at the State of the Nation Address in Parliament on 16 February 2018 in Cape Town, South Africa. ![]()
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