The organisation will not form coalitions with any political party
Supporting Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane in her bid to become South Africa’s public protector was a terrible mistake, Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has said.
“We just took a puppet from Gupta’s kitchen and said ‘let’s give her a chance’,” he said during a media conference on Monday
The EFF threw its weight behind Mkhwebane during last year’s parliamentary process to replace former public protector Thuli Madonsela. It opted to ignore claims from some, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), that Mkhwebane was a spy. The EFF did, however, say it would take her appointment on review if it felt she was not in the position for the right reasons.
Malema shook his head as he expressed his disappointment and lack of confidence in Mkhwebane’s ability to fulfil her role. “We are looking at some way of rescuing that office,” said Malema, adding that the EFF had already started looking at ways to have Mkwehbane removed.
His comments come amid claims that Mkhwebane tampered with a report into Absa bank, over a complaint that it benefited from an apartheid-era bail-out.
Political parties also questioned Mkhwebane’s decision not to oppose an application by President Jacob Zuma and Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Des van Rooyen in October to obtain an interdict against Madonsela’s State of Capture report.
“We must stop calling her the public protector and start calling her a state protector,” Malema said. – News24