Johannesburg - The African Transformation Movement (ATM) has slammed the impeachment of former Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, who was voted out of her position by more than 300 Members of Parliament on Monday.
The ATM, along with the EFF, the PAC, and the UDM, were among the parties that opposed Mkhwebane’s removal from office.
Mkhwebane’s fate was sealed when, on Monday, during a parliamentary debate, 318 members of the National Assembly voted in support of her removal, with just 43 voting against her impeachment.
In a statement, ATM spokesperson Zama Ntshona said the party was dismayed by the level of cruelty suffered by the Public Protector at the hands of a black-led ANC government.
He said the ANC which led the move for Mkhwebane’s removal, had sold out on its promise to fight for the previously disadvantaged and marginalised people of the country.
"For the African Transformation Movement, this is a sad day in the story of our democratic dispensation that a black woman of the calibre of Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane would be unjustifiably impeached just a few days before her term expires."
"What exacerbates the issue is that the very people who had contributed to her liberation have suddenly joined forces with protectors of white supremacy on a continued programme of undermining black excellence, reversing the gains of our hard-earned democracy," Ntshona said.
Ntshona said Mkhwebane’s record spoke for itself, adding that the ATM was not convinced that eight cases out of 58 964 were enough to condemn her as unfit to hold office.
"The ATM reiterates its stance that the eight cases of the 58 964 finalised cases that the Public Protector could not successfully defend in court do not paint an absolute impression that warrants the unjust s194 fitness to hold office inquiry, let alone her impeachment."
"The Public Protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, has a 98% case finalisation record and gave the institution three consecutive clean audits, the first for the directorate in 25 years. It is therefore unjustifiable that she is the one facing the guillotine amidst the incompetence of epic promotions that has plunged us to mediaeval days with an unresponsive economy, high unemployment rate, rampant corruption, lack of service delivery, and implementation of good councils to the brink of a failed state, yet none have been brought to book for such incompetence but Adv. Mkhwebane," he said.
According to the party, Mkhwebane was being punished for some of her investigations against powerful businesses and individuals, including the banks of this country.
"The ATM is clear that the day Adv. Mkhwebane recommended a change in the mandate of the reserve bank in order to serve the interests of the citizens, was the day she made enemies with the mighty and powerful that control most parties and politicians in this country."
"The resolution to impeach Advocate Mkhwebane is at the behest of the mineral energy complex, which wants the status quo to remain and the economy untransformed," Ntshona added.
He said the ANC had lost its credibility as a liberation movement because it had allowed itself to be used by the DA.
"What we witnessed in a modern-day Parliament of South Africa is nothing but a clear indication that the DA-led ANC has truly lost all values of a liberation movement, has lost touch with Ubuntu, and has cleaved onto foreign white tendencies of kicking a man while he's down and out," he said.
The Star