While Busisiwe Mkhwebane may be mutely absorbing her Section 194 impeachment inquiry, evidence leaders are dropping hefty clues as to where they will be testing her later.

On Tuesday, at the start of proceedings, an unseemly virtual verbal scuffle between suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane and Section 194 committee chair Qubudile Dyantyi briefly ensued.

The inquiry's legal adviser, Fatima Ebrahim, confirmed earlier to members that the committee was well within its legal rights to continue with evidence leaders "landscaping" their case at this point regardless of Mkhwebane's legal woes.

Mkhwebane was sharply rebuked by Dyantyi when she attempted to interrupt. Dyantyi informed her that "the evidence leaders are addressing committee members, not you".

"Just mute her! It's a committee meeting. You are completely out of order and I'm not going to take that attitude from you," a ferocious Dyantyi snapped.

Mkhwebane has been left without her legal representative, advocate Dali Mpofu, after wrangling over Mkhwebane's legal bill. The Public Protector SA has been depleted to the tune of around R24-million so far in legal costs for this inquiry and has indicated the books are now closed.

"Well, I have written you a letter," Mkhwebane managed to squeeze in before the big freeze-out by Dyantyi.

The suspended PP then posted the letter to her Twitter account. She was writing "to express my deepest concerns at the latest...