PRETORIA – Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane says her office has sought legal advice to oppose President Jacob Zuma’s application to review the State of Capture report.
Mkhwebane was addressing the media after being in office for a hundred days.
#PublicProtector says she’s seeking legal advice on President Zuma’s #StateCapture review. pic.twitter.com/WDyJGw8CJr
— Karyn Maughan (@karynmaughan) February 2, 2017
“Yes I have lodged a notice of intention to oppose the president’s application… as this is a complex matter hence I have sought legal counsel that will guide us in pursuing the matter,” Mkhwebane said.
The public protector said because there was no legal precedence on the case, once she had acquired thorough legal opinion, she would then decide whether or not to continue opposing or changing her approach.
Zuma asked the High Court in Pretoria to review and set aside the remedial action recommendations in the report.
According to court papers Zuma filed an affidavit in which he questions former public protector, Thuli Madonsela’s recommendation in the report that he establish a commission of inquiry but that it be headed by a judge selected by Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng.
He also wants the court to refer the report back to the public protector for further investigation.