Africa-Press – South-Africa. The State Security Agency (SSA) and the police’s Crime Intelligence didn’t flag any issues with the eight candidates vying to become the next Public Protector.
The ad hoc committee to select the new Public Protector met on Tuesday to discuss the screening reports by the SSA, police and a firm contracted by Parliament to verify the candidates’ qualifications.
Six of the candidates are advocates – acting Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, Muvhango Lukhaimane, Tseliso Thipanyane, Lynn Marais, Oliver Josie, and Tommy Ntsewa – with Magistrate Johannah Ledwaba and Professor Boitumelo Mmusinyane completing the eight.
The SSA found that each candidate is a South African citizen – as legislation requires – and none of them holds dual citizenship.
“Furthermore, no security concerns came to light during the screening process,” reads the SSA’s report.
The police didn’t identify any “illicit activities” by any of the candidates, and Parliament’s human resources department verified the highest qualification each candidate holds.
The committee also received correspondence from one of the 38 nominees who didn’t make the shortlist, Macbeth Nconwane, who complained that the shortlisting process was unfair and that he didn’t believe it was transparent.
He also questioned what criteria were used to select the shortlisted candidates.
The criteria were publicly discussed by the committee before they selected the candidates and provided to the media. The committee also shortlisted the candidates in a meeting open to the public.
After a brief discussion, the committee resolved that it would write to Nconwane to explain its process, which it believed to be fair.
After the screening reports were presented to the committee, EFF MP Omphile Maotwe indicated that she wanted “a bite” at the candidates.
In fact, she only wanted “a bite” at one candidate: acting Public Protector Gcaleka, who has been in the EFF’s crosshairs ever since outgoing Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane was suspended, and their criticism only intensified after Gcaleka cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Phala Phala investigation.
Maotwe said she wanted to “question the suitability” of Gcaleka.
“You are completely out of order,” said committee chairperson Cyril Xaba.
ANC MP Qubudile Dyantyi said committee members could raise issues with the candidates during their interviews, and the committee would also deliberate on them. He said members should guard against making predetermined opinions on any of the candidates.
As is her wont, Maotwe had to get the last word in.
“Can the acting PP step aside from this process,” she said before being cut short again.
The committee will interview the candidates on Wednesday and Thursday, four on each day.
Mkhwebane’s term of office expires on 14 October. However, in a draft report, an impeachment inquiry found her gulity of misconduct and incompetence. This committee, chaired by Dyantyi, and of which Maotwe is also a member, was scheduled to finalise its report later on Tuesday after considering Mkhwebane’s response to the draft report.
The final report will be considered by the National Assembly, where a two-thirds majority is required to remove the Public Protector.
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