South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has officially fires advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane. This decision comes a month prior to the end of her tenure as the Public Protector.
National Assembly’s Vote
The National Assembly overwhelmingly supported the decision, with 79.5% voting in favor of the section 194 committee’s findings. The committee found Mkhwebane guilty of misconduct and incompetence, deeming her unfit to continue as the head of South Africa’s watchdog.
Ramaphosa fires Mkhwebane
In his letter to Mkhwebane, President Ramaphosa cited the Constitution, stating that he “must” remove the Public Protector from office following the conclusion of the section 194 process. He informed Mkhwebane that she was being removed from her position as Public Protector under section 194(3)(b) of the Constitution due to misconduct and incompetence.
The removal process was not without cost. It is reported that it took R160 million to remove Busisiwe Mkhwebane and to counter her Stalingrad campaign.
Mkhwebane’s Response
Mkhwebane responded by posting President Ramaphosa’s letter online on Wednesday morning. She referred to the decision as an injustice, particularly noting that it was carried out on Steve Biko Day. She vowed to legally challenge the decision in review proceedings and ended her statement with a defiant “If I perish, I perish. Ngiyathokoza Mzansi and Africa.”
This story is still developing and more updates are expected.