By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The parliamentary inquiry into the fitness of suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane heard on Thursday that in the first financial year in office, the office spent R158 million on professional and consulting fees. And of that amount, R146 million was spent on legal fees.
The section 194 committee, which has been on a break for just over a week, resumed its work on Thursday, continuing with the evidence concerning legal fees in the office of the Public Protector.
Evidence leader Adv Nazreen Bawa SC, showed a summary of the court judgements against Mkhwebane.
Public Protector legal services manager Muntu Sithole, who appeared before the committee when it last sat on 26 August, continued his testimony.
The inquiry has been furnished with a schedule of legal fees from the Public Protector’s Office.
It includes the cost of over 72 review applications and 27 appeal applications.
Evidence leader, Bawa, has highlighted that the controversial ABSA/CIEX review involved six law firms, and cost the Public Protector’s Office over R14 million.
Mkhwebane’s legal counsel, Advocate Dali Mpofu, who has also represented her in some of the cases, objected to the evidence and said it was the invasion of people’s (attorneys’ and counsels’) “privacy unnecessarily”.
“Flighting numbers like this can only be directed at the appetite of those who just want sensationalism,” Mpofu said.
African National Congress (ANC) MP Xola Nqola disagreed: “In my view, chair, there’s nothing private about public funds that were used in advancement of the obligations that’s placed on the Public Protector’s office.”
Committee chairperson Qubudile Dyantyi said the committee will not resume after lunch, because there is a three line whip called for the National Assembly’s sitting in the afternoon.
This means all MPs must attend. The House will have an urgent debate on illegal mining.
The committee continues on Friday with another witness from the office of the Public Protector who is going to give more testimony about legal fees.
Livestream Video Below:
Video Courtesy of Parliament.