Political battle lines emerged on the eve of the interviews for a new Public Protector when the EFF demanded the current acting incumbent, Deputy Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, remove herself from the process, citing questions over her suitability.

EFF MP Omphile Maotwe was quickly ruled "completely" out of order at Tuesday's meeting, but she raised the point again later in her exchange with the committee chairperson, ANC MP Cyril Xaba.

"Can the acting Public Protector step aside out of this process so we deal with candidates that are credible, that don't have any cloud hanging [over them]," Maotwe said.

Xaba's intervention to put a stop to Maotwe's commentary was supported by fellow ANC MPs Mina Lesoma and Qubudile Dyantyi, who spoke of the need to raise concerns at the right time in the right place. And that would be in the interviews with individual shortlisted candidates over two days from Wednesday, and again in the committee's subsequent deliberations to determine who the National Assembly recommends to the President for appointment as Public Protector.

"We will test the suitability over the next two days," Xaba concluded.

But the EFF-ANC exchange on Tuesday indicated underlying preferences, while the DA has remained silent on naming candidates for shortlisting.

The current deputy Public Protector is understood to be the ANC's choice, while the EFF nominated only Pension Funds Adjudicator Muvhango Lukhaimane for the shortlist of eight candidates.

Last time round, in 2016,...