ANC uses bulk to drown Public Protector inquiry

The ANC used its majority in parliament's portfolio committee on justice yesterday to halt the inquiry into the fitness of Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane to hold office.

In one of the most ill-tempered and partisan committee sittings since the Nkandla inquiry, committee chairman Mathole Motshekga (ANC) upheld every point of order raised by the governing party and overruled every point of order raised by the opposition.

The committee was dealing with a referral from speaker Baleka Mbete of an assertion by DA chief whip John Steenhuisen that Mkhwebane was unfit to be public protector.

This was after a judge found she had overreached her powers when she ordered the mandate of the Reserve Bank to be changed and instructed the portfolio committee (which does not have the power) to change the constitution accordingly.

Despite an earlier indication that he might recuse himself as chairman because he was so deeply involved with the matter, Motshekga said he had reconsidered his position and would not remove himself after all.

DA MP Glynnis Breytenbach set the tone by asking what form the inquiry would take.

Motshekga argued that the committee had to decide first on whether an inquiry was necessary and not "put the cart before the horse".

DA MP Werner Horn reminded Motshekga of the Constitutional Court finding that parliament had failed in its constitutional duty during the Nkandla inquiry, and warned Motshekga - who was central to that process - that he was doing so again.

"This is like the Nkandla inquiry. It is a make-believe process," said Horn.

ANC MP Makgathatso Pilane-Majake said the DA never wanted Mkhwebane as public protector and was pursuing a political witch-hunt.

Matters became heated when Motshekga prevented Breytenbach from referring to Steenhuisen's letter of complaint, claiming that it cast aspersions on Mkhwebane.

EFF MP Sam Matiase accused Motshekga of being "too conflicted, confused and involved" to remain committee chairman.