By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has been sworn in as a Member of the National Assembly representing the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF).
The impeached public protector earlier this week announced that she had joined the EFF.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Speaker’s Boardroom in Parliament on Friday.
The ceremony came a day after the National Assembly approved the appointment of her former deputy, Kholeka Gcaleka, as the next Public Protector.
Mkhwebane said that she is ready to serve the people of South Africa.
“I will continue to protect the public as a member of Parliament and more now because I will be conducting oversight which is a constitutional responsibility.
“I will be making sure the seven cardinal pillars of the EFF are implemented, “Mkhwebane said.
In taking up her EFF membership, Mkhwebane read from the party’s declaration form: “I understand that I am not entitled to any position or deployment. I will participate in the life of the Economic Freedom Fighters to strive towards total emancipation of South Africa, Africa and the oppressed of the world and do so as a loyal, active and disciplined freedom fighter.”
Her track record, however, leaves much to be desired. In July, the Section 194 inquiry committee upheld four counts against her, including victimising staff, misconduct, and incompetence in three investigations — into the Gutpa-linked Vrede Dairy Farm, the Bosasa funding of Cyril Ramaphosa’s CR17 campaign for ANC president, and the Bankorp/Absa bailout.
In January 2017, EFF leader Julius Malema labelled Mkhwebane a Gupta puppet and a spy and said he and his party regretted supporting her for the position of Public Protector after she released a controversial report about the Absa bailout.
Three years later, in 2020, Malema had a change of heart, denying ever calling Mkhwebane a spy. “We have never called her a spy. We may not like what people do but we respect the rule of law.”