Parliament’s Section 194 Inquiry Committee has acceded to suspended public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s request to summon her predecessor Thuli Madonsela to give evidence in the impeachment inquiry that is probing her fitness to hold office.
The committee met on Tuesday to discuss housekeeping matters and plot a way forward before it resumes its work on Monday.
During the meeting, the committee heard that Mkhwebane, through her legal representative Seanego Attorneys, has requested to summon five witnesses who had previously refused to testify voluntarily.
They include Madonsela, who was in the process of preparing her response on why she will not appear before the committee when it went on break, acting public protector Kholeka Gcaleka, DA MP Natasha Mazzone, Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan and investigator in the office of the pubic protector Bianca Mvuyana.
The committee has agreed that only Madonsela and Mvuyana’s testimonies can “assist a great deal” in the inquiry.
Committee chairperson Richard Dyantyi confirmed: “We are of the view that the former public protector, professor Thuli Madonsela, must be interacted with by the committee in the manner we would have done with Mr [Tebogo] Kekana [former public protector senior investigator and now whistleblower].
“Former public protector Thuli Madonsela is agreed that she must be interacted with in the form of this subpoena.”
Also read: Section 194 Inquiry Committee meets to plot way forward
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