African National Congress secretary general Kgalema Motlanthe has denied a weekend report in City Press newspaper that he forced National Director of Public Prosecutions Bulelani Ngcuka to apologise to Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana.
”I clearly stated that I had not asked Ngcuka to apologise,” he said in a statement on Monday.
”I further explained that this was because the comments in question were made by Ngcuka in his capacity as the head of a state institution which is not answerable to the ANC.
”All I said was that [former justice minister Penuell] Maduna had been asked to apologise for his comments because he is a member of the ANC’s national executive committee and national working committee.”
Ngcuka and Maduna were allegedly criticised by the ANC for attacking Mushwana.
On May 28, Mushwana released a report after probing whether Ngcuka conducted himself properly when investigating allegations of corruption against Deputy President Jacob Zuma.
The report says Ngcuka and Maduna failed to cooperate with Mushwana when he was investigating a complaint against Ngcuka.
Maduna responded by saying Mushwana was the ”saddest case I have had to look at, intellectually”. Ngcuka said he felt sorry for Mushwana as he had no backbone.
Motlanthe refuted claims the ANC is putting pressure on Ngcuka to resign or the party is involved in negotiating an ”exit package” for him.
”Claims that the ANC is interfering in either the work of Mushwana or Ngcuka — as claimed by the Democratic Alliance — are therefore without substance,” he said.
”We have repeatedly stressed that due process needs to be followed in all these matters, and that, in the case of the public protector’s report, it should be considered and processed by Parliament.” — Sapa