Busisiwe Mkhwebane
Public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has defended her undisclosed meetings with the presidency and State Security Agency (SSA) saying nothing was untoward and those who allege otherwise are plotting against her.
In a statement on Thursday, Mkhwebane did not explain why she had failed to disclose her visits to the presidency’s legal advisors or the SSA. She simply said they were part of her constitutional mandate to investigate the Bankkorp/Absa apartheid-era bailout and the Ciex investigation into it.
“Therefore, the rumours or reports published in different media platforms and social media are incorrect and the public protector rejects reports or rumours with the contempt they deserve,” Cleopatra Mosana, spokesperson for Mkhwebane, said in a statement.
Earlier this week, the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) filed an affidavit in the Pretoria high court where it alleged Mkhwebane had conspired with the presidency to change its constitutional mandate.
Mkhwebane dismissed the allegations and said that the bank’s affidavit had been leaked to journalists before it had been served on her office. She suggested that “a certain group of people” who sent the affidavit to journalists had “orchestrated” the allegations in an attempt to “discredit” her reputation and her independence.
The bank, however, posted its affidavit on the homepage of its website on Monday when it was filed at the Pretoria high court.
Mkhwebane’s response is the latest in the squabble between the Bank and her office since the public protector’s final report on the Ciex investigation was released. The Bank called Mkhwebane “irrational” in a strongly-worded criticism of her remedial action that its mandate be changed to focus on socioeconomic issues instead of protecting the currency. Mkhwebane eventually relented to that remedial action being set aside by the high court.
The two parties have now both accused each other of nefarious plotting. Mkhwebane said a full explanation of her meetings with the presidency’s legal advisors and the SSA will be provided in an affidavit to be filed by October 23. She has said that the meetings were necessary as the Presidency and the SSA could assist her investigation.
Mkhwebane, according to the Sarb’s affidavit, told the presidency’s legal advisors she would change the bank’s mandate. She did not disclose this in her final report or to Sarb before the report was published.
Absa is due to file an affidavit later today.