So said advocate Kgomotso Moroko, counsel for the Minister of State Security, Ayanda Dlodlo, in support of now Minister of Public Enterprises Pravin Gordhan’s bid to have the public protector’s 2019 report and remedial action in the SARS “rogue unit” investigation set aside and declared invalid.Mkhwebane’s report made adverse findings against Gordhan, former SARS deputy commissioner Ivan Pillay and former SARS commissioner Oupa Magashula.
The public protector had instead sought to challenge the minister to release the report, a bid that proved unsuccessful. “In addition, the Minister does not have powers to implement remedial action imposed by the Public Protector,” said MorokoOver and above this, the Radebe report had since been set aside onOn Thursday Moroko said that Dlodlo had, in that matter, agreed that Radebe’s report contained “indefensible deficiencies” and that the investigation had been conducted unlawfully.
Advocate Wim Trengove, for Gordhan, referring to the OIGI report and Mkhwebane’s reliance on it to reach her findings, said it was curious that in court papers Mkhwebane “pretends not to have seen the IGI report”.In her own words, said Trengove, Mkhwebane said she had been “reliably informed” that the report was with the Minister of State Security and that the public protector had subpoenaed her to hand it over without success.
If it were true that the public protector did not have a copy “then it is the most extraordinary abuse of power to order the minister to implement the report. She blindly orders this,” said Trengove.“The public protector has never explained why she parroted a report she had never seen of an investigation of which she had absolutely no knowledge,” Trengove set out.
He said the public protector had argued that she was empowered to investigate “anything irrespective of when the incident arose” but this was “plainly wrong”.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
LETTER: To fix the public wage bill, fix corruptionIf they can’t get away with it, people won’t be drawn to the often lucrative public-sector jobs
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »
Ramaphosa intends to make list of all Covid-19 tenders publicPresident Cyril Ramaphosa has taken an unprecedented step and asked all his ministers to compile a list of Covid-19 tenders and submit it to him so that he can release the information publicly.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »
LETTER: They don’t make public thieves like they used toWhoever creates jobs will remain dominant in any economy
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »
Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s credibility and conduct again questioned in courtIf Pravin Gordhan succeeds in having findings against him set aside, it will be the fourth high-profile investigation by the public protector to be found wanting
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »
Sars rogue unit: Gordhan wants Mkhwebane to pay legal costs out of her own pocketPublic Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan’s advocate Wim Trengove asked the North Gauteng High Court to order that Public Protector advocate Busi Mkhwebane pay the costs of his lawsuit out of her own pockets.
Source: IOL - 🏆 46. / 51 Read more »
Busisiwe Mkhwebane to spend next two months fighting for survival in the courtsThe public protector is adamant that adverse findings made against her are nothing more than ‘opinions’ of a judge
Source: BDliveSA - 🏆 12. / 63 Read more »