South African Ombud Denied Appeal on Dismissal Motion

The Western Cape High Court has refused the Public Protector Busisiwe Mkwhebane's leave to appeal its judgement which dismissed her application for an interim order to stop National Assembly Speaker Thandi Modise from continuing to process a motion for her removal from office. The application was opposed by the Speaker, President Cyril Ramaphosa and the Democratic Alliance. The Constitution and the rules of the national assembly provide for procedures to remove an office-bearer in Chapter-9 state institutions. A panel was constituted to assess the removal of Mkwhebane as the nation's public protector. The campaign, which was spearheaded by the Democratic Alliance, followed in the wake of "questionable decisions" taken by Mkwhebane, including a report on donations allegedly received by President Cyril Ramaphosa toward his presidential campaign by a firm that procured lucrative government tenders, illegally.