Mkhwebane repeats call for recusal of Section 194 inquiry chair
Suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has again called for the recusal of the chairperson of the Section 194 inquiry into her fitness to hold office.
It comes amid claims that the chairperson Qubudile Dyantyi, ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina and the late MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson attempted to solicit bribes from her husband to influence the outcome of the inquiry.
Mkhwebane had previously asked for Dyantyi to recuse himself due to what she described as bias and unfairness.
She told the committee on Wednesday that she has already opened a case against the MPs and also submitted a formal complaint to Parliament's Joint Committee on Ethics and Members' Interests.
Mkhwebane's call for the chairperson's recusal was supported by the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) and the African Transformation Movement (ATM).
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EFF leader Julius Malema called on Dyantyi to listen to his conscience and recuse himself.
"There is no way you will proceed as if there is nothing happening around your name and that's why you are being emotional about everything. You know that there is an allegation of bribe against you and it has been made by your member that you are soliciting a bribe.
"It doesn't help anyone to be sitting here with a chairperson who is facing such serious allegations, we ask that you recuse yourself, especially from chairing because these allegations are too serious.
“Anyone can come and chair the committee, this is for the sake of the integrity of the process and for the sake of the integrity of this committee and for the public protector to see justice being done.
"You are somehow under a very serious dark cloud and this is going to affect your judgment, it is going to affect your performance. The behaviour you displayed this morning, it's a confirmation that you came with an attitude," said Malema.
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Mkhwebane claimed that Joemat-Pettersson, who passed away last week, was one of the MPs who solicited the bribe from her husband.
"I find it difficult to appear before you as the chairperson who has been implicated or who is alleged to have sent Tina Joemat-Pettersson to come and solicit a bribe from my husband.
"And chairperson I have heard the audio and the recordings and that recording will be made available to the committee and members of the public will even hear for themselves where you [Dyantyi] and Ms Majodina are implicated in that recording.
"The police have been given that recording. I couldn't just sit after hearing and I said the case must be opened immediately.
"So, Majodina if you say there is no concrete evidence, there is a recording where you were said to have solicited the bribe," said Mkhwebane.
Dyantyi postponed the inquiry until Friday for Mkhwebane to make a formal submission of the recusal application.
