Parliament’s third bid to find Public Protector Selby Baqwa’s successor hit another snag at the weekend, when advertisements appearing in Sunday newspapers gave the wrong closing date for applications for the independent watchdog post.
Parliament’s ad hoc committee on the appointment of a public protector has battled since it was established in June to attract sufficient nominations for the post.
After only receiving seven nominations after its original advertisements in weekend newspapers, it re-advertised the post and received only 10 more.
It held public hearings last month, but three of the front-runners, Land Claims Court judge Bakone Moloto, former Northern Province MEC Seth Nthai and Western Cape justice department head Hisamodien Mohamed, withdrew their nominations after they were short-listed.
In a report to Parliament the committee said it was unable to recommend a candidate and asked that the post be re-advertised for a third time.
However, advertisements in the Sunday Independent and City Press this weekend, gave the closing date as July 19 — the date of the original advertisement two months ago.
Committee chairman MJ Mahlangu said on Sunday this was an error and that the date should be September 16.
The committee has also recommended to Parliament that the most senior deputy public protector available should fill the post in an acting position until the right person can be found.
This would effectively mean that Baqwa’s current assistant, Thinus Schutte — who was among the short-listed candidates interviewed by the committee — would take up the post in an acting capacity.
The committee said in its report it was generally impressed with the high calibre of candidates interviewed.
However, it was felt that due to the limited number of nominations received, the fact that at least three of the short-listed candidates had withdrawn and because of the post’s significance, it was unable to recommend a suitable candidate.
It recommended the post be re-advertised in a range of professional publications ”to elicit a greater response from suitably qualified persons, including women”.
The National Assembly recommends a candidate to President Thabo Mbeki, who makes the appointment for a non-renewable seven year term. Baqwa’s term ends at month’s end. He will then join banking-group Nedcor.
He has ruled on many controversial complaints against senior members of government, including then-Health minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma for the Sarafina II debacle, as well as then-Minerals and Energy Minister Penuell Maduna for accusing the auditor-general at the time, Henri Kluever, of covering up a theft. ? Sapa