By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Members of the section 194 committee have thrown out the application by suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane for chairperson of the committee Qubudile Dyantyi to recuse himself.
Mkhwebane lodged an application for Dyantyi to recuse himself, but Dyantyi initially sent his response to Mkhwebane refusing to do so.
Her application has its genesis in allegations by her husband, David Skosana, that the late ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson solicited bribes of R200 000 each for herself, Dyantyi and ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina.
Skosana opened a complaint with the police, while Mkhwebane did so with Parliament’s ethics committee.
Dyantyi and Majodina have publicly denied the allegations. Joemat-Pettersson died on 5 June. Her death is the subject of an inquest.
In her application, Mkhwebane argued that it is immaterial whether actual bias from Dyantyi exists, and that questioning her and her legal team’s motives in bringing a recusal application is also grounds for recusal.
In the meeting of the committee on Friday, political parties said the recusal application by Mkhwebane must be thrown out.
ANC deputy chief whip Doris Dlakude said they reject the application by Mkhwebane.
The issues raised in this application do not belong to this committee. We have said many times before that they must take that to the relevant authorities. We cannot be dragged to something that does not belong to this committee,” said Dlakude.
Another ANC MP, Xola Nqola said the committee must continue with its work and Dyantyi to preside over the inquiry.
He said there was no tangible evidence that has been brought against Dyantyi that he was directly involved in trying to solicit a bribe.
IFP MP Zandile Majozi said the committee must not accept the application as it has no basis.
She said these were delaying tactics.
Dyantyi said this closes the chapter on the saga and the committee will focus on the draft report.
In September last year, Mkhwebane brought another application for Dyantyi’s recusal, along with an application for the recusal of DA MP Kevin Mileham. She claimed that Dyantyi had been biased against her and her legal team, and had allowed the process to be procedurally unfair.
Dyantyi refused to recuse himself then too.
Mkhwebane wanted Mileham to recuse himself because the motion that led to the impeachment proceedings was moved by his wife, DA MP Natasha Mazzone, in her capacity as DA chief whip at the time.