Eight candidates have been shortlisted for interviews for the position of public protector, which will be vacant when incumbent Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s term comes to an end in October.
This emerged when the ad hoc committee to nominate the person for appointment as public protector met following the publishing of 38 candidates’ CVs.
Two candidates, advocates Mukhali Thenga and Elizabeth Mthimkhulu, withdrew their nominations, leaving the committee with a list of 36 candidates to shortlist for the interviews.
The committee shortlisted pension funds adjudicator Muvhango Lukhaimane, advocate Tseliso Thipanyane, advocate Lynne Marais, deputy public protector Kholeka Gcaleka, advocate Oliver Josie, advocate Tommy Ntsewa, magistrate Johannah Ledwaba and Professor Boitumelo Mmusinyane.
While the DA did not make a nomination for the shortlist, many parties – the ANC, DA, IFP and Freedom Front Plus – were either happy or satisfied with the shortlisted candidates.
But the EFF’s Yoliswa Yako said: “There is a name we are not fine with, which everybody knows, but we are not going to talk to that now.”
Yako was making reference to Gcaleka, who cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in her investigation into the Phala Phala scandal.
The party has nominated Lukhaimane as its preferred next public protector.
The candidates will now be interviewed on August 23 and 24.
Committee chairperson Cyril Xaba said they would hold another meeting to prepare for the interviews and look at the questions, among other things.
The committee will recommend one candidate by the end of August for consideration by the National Assembly.
The successful candidate will be appointed by Ramaphosa for a non-renewable seven-year term.
Cape Times