Former public protector advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane was sworn in as a member of parliament for the EFF on Friday.
Mkhwebane, who was unveiled as an EFF MP in her hometown of Kwaggafontein, Mpumalanga on Monday, took her oath in the speaker’s boardroom at parliament’s Good Hope Building in Cape Town.
The party posted pictures of Mkhwebane’s swearing-in ceremony on its official X.com account, and she was all smiles, clad in trademark EFF red regalia.
Mkhwebane will form part of the EFF’s caucus in the National Assembly. Through its official X.com account, the EFF welcomed Mkhwebane as an MP.
“Advocate Mkhwebane boasts a rich history in the civil service, including key roles as a senior researcher for the South African Human Rights Commission, senior investigator in the Office of the Public Protector, and director at Home Affairs,” reads the post.
Mkhwebane’s term as public protector officially ended last week.
In September, the ANC-dominated National Assembly voted in support of the DA-sponsored motion to remove her from office for misconduct and incompetence.
Virgil Gericke, was sworn in as an MP alongside Mkhwebane. Gericke is the president of Plasslike Besorgde Inwoners (local concerned citizens), the EFF said.
In welcoming Gericke through its official X.com account, the EFF said: “Fighter Gericke is a strong advocate with an ideological orientation rooted in the struggle for land and economic freedom.
“His activism, which dates back to the 1980s, saw him involved in anti-apartheid campaigns.”
The party’s national spokesperson, Sinawo Thambo, said the swearing-in of Mkhwebane and Gericke was a “historic occasion which will mark growth in the democratic project of South Africa and enhance accountability, transparency, and effectiveness of governance in a remarkable manner”.
Meanwhile, Mkhwebane was a guest on the second episode of the EFF’s podcast, which aired on the party’s YouTube channel on Friday.
Speaking to podcast host Titus Tshungu, Mkhwebane said she joined the EFF to continue her fight against corruption.” Mkhwebane said.
Seven cardinal pillars
“I joined the EFF because, when I was checking their seven [non-negotiable] cardinal pillars, I could relate to them” Mkhwebane said.
“When I was interviewed for the position of public protector, I said I wanted to help the poor and marginalised and deal with the triple challenges [poverty, unemployment, inequality] in our society.
“Our people are facing a lot of struggles, so I wanted to help them as the public protector and fight oppression.
“Looking at my experience [in the civil service], I said I could contribute [to the EFF] with dealing with issues of corruption.
“As a public protector, one has been dealing with that [corruption] for seven years.”
