The African Transformation Movement (ATM) said it wants the National Assembly to vote in secret on whether or not to remove Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane from office.
ATM President Vuyo Zungula wrote to Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula requesting that she consider a secret ballot, arguing that the African National Congress (ANC) will again coerce its members on how to vote.
Zungula said December’s open vote on whether President Cyril Ramaphosa should face impeachment proceedings proved that ANC members who voted with their conscience faced consequences for not toeing the party line.
The ATM has been an ardent supporter of Mkhwebane during the inquiry on her fitness to hold office.
In the lengthy letter to the speaker, Zungula set out why he believes Monday’s impeachment vote should be held in secret.
It will be the first time the National Assembly is asked to impeach the head of a Chapter 9 institution.
Zungula said together, the ANC, the Democratic Alliance DA, and the Freedom Front Plus will reach the two-thirds majority required to remove the Public Protector on charges of misconduct and incompetence.
He added that ANC Secretary General Fikile Mbalula has reportedly threatened ANC members of Parliament (MPs) who don’t vote for Mkhwebane’s removal.
Mkhwebane has a little more than a month left in office before her seven-year term ends. Removing her from office could impact the gratuity due to her when her tenure ends. On Tuesday, Mkhwebane’s attempts to return to office after being on suspension for more than a year were scuppered by Ramaphosa.
Zungula claims that Ramaphosa is hostile and biased towards Mkhwebane for her treatment of investigations involving him, and that the ANC’s Parliamentary caucus would want to please him by impeaching her.
Zungula has also raised bribery allegations involving the late ANC MP Tina Joemat-Pettersson, the chairperson of the Section 194 inquiry, Richard Dyantyi, and ANC whip, Pemmy Majodina.
He contends that for these reasons, it would be irrational for the speaker to hold an open roll call vote, rather than a secret ballot.
-EWN
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