Picture: Flickr/GovernmentZA

The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse is relieved that Parliament has voted in favour of removing Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office.

This was a long, painful and expensive process but worth it to enforce accountability and block her from receiving a most undeserved gratuity payment.

Advocate Mkhwebane did not defend the public but only herself. Her record speaks for itself. The series of negative court verdicts against her reports have, in OUTA’s view, tarnished the reputation of this vital Chapter 9 Institution.

OUTA calls on Parliament to consider appointments to Chapter 9 institutions very, very carefully. If the shortlisted candidates do not include at least one excellent candidate, then go back and look again.

We also call on Parliament to consider policy and possibly legislation to block miscreants from using public funds to defend themselves at unreasonable cost to the public, and to ensure retrieval of funds misspent in this way.

OUTA and other organisations campaigned for years for Advocate Mkhwebane’s removal. We are saddened that it took so long, in the face of such blatant incompetence, as the importance of the Office of the Public Protector to the powerless is immeasurable. Her time in office has been a great disservice to those who really needed her help.

More information

A soundclip with comment by OUTA Executive Director Advocate Stefanie Fick in English is here and in Afrikaans is here.

For an overview of OUTA’s work on calling for Advocate Mkhwebane to be held to account, see here.