Busi earns MPs' ire over SABC inquiry

Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has clashed with MPs by suggesting that her predecessor, Thuli Madonsela, be dropped as a witness in parliament's inquiry into the fitness of the SABC board.

Mkhwebane also provoked the wrath of MPs from across the political spectrum by saying that members of her staff could appear before the SABC inquiry committee only behind closed doors.

In a letter to Lechesa Tsenoli, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mkhwebane asks parliament to explain "what precedent" is being set by calling Madonsela to give evidence before the committee when she is no longer the public protector.

Mkhwebane's spat that MPs comes amid growing suggestions that she is proving to be pliable and biased in favour of the government. The Sunday Times reported at the weekend that she had asked the police to investigate Madonsela for making public audio recordings of her interview with President Jacob Zuma and his attorney. A transcript of the interview had been included in her State of Capture report and is in the public domain.

In her letter to the Deputy Speaker, Mkhwebane says that reports on investigations by Madonsela during her stint as public protector are now the "sole property" of her office.

The SABC inquiry committee wants Madonsela and her staff to explain how they had conducted their investigation into the affairs of the SABC which resulted in a report titled When Governance and Ethics Fail.

Mkhwebane told the committee she could not appear before it because of "prior engagements" and would send three officials instead - but they would testify only in a closed meeting.

The chairman of the committee, ANC MP Vincent Smith, told Mkhwebane that her request for a closed session was against rule 170A of the National Assembly.