The frosty relations between public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane and her deputy‚ Kevin Malunga‚ played themselves out in front of MPs as questions were raised about Malunga’s role in that office.
And for the first time Malunga‚ a naturalised South African‚ spoke out about being sidelined because he does not have a top secret security clearance.
In a rare occurrence‚ Malunga appeared before the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on justice – alongside Mkhwebane and their team – to account for the 2017/18 annual report. Opposition MPs were quick to raise questions about his presence considering that‚ unlike Thuli Madonsela‚ Mkhwebane has not been fond of bringing him along to parliamentary meetings.
It emerged that at one of the meetings earlier this year‚ Mkhwebane had also stopped Malunga’s involvement in the office’s investigative work because he does not have security clearance.
She confirmed on Thursday morning that she had written to National Assembly speaker Baleka Mbete and to the former chair of the justice committee‚ Mathole Motshekga‚ about Malunga’s role in light of his vetting. She revealed that‚ as far as she was concerned‚ it was against the law for Malunga “to do the work”.
“I indicated that in my term these are the concerns I have as far as the laws of the country are concerned … as a committee and myself‚ must we violate those laws‚ especially on the fact that‚ is there work which needs to be done by Malunga when he doesn’t have the security clearance?” said Mkhwebane.