{"id":83711,"date":"2023-11-05T11:15:43","date_gmt":"2023-11-05T09:15:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/?p=83711"},"modified":"2023-11-05T11:15:43","modified_gmt":"2023-11-05T09:15:43","slug":"ramaphosa-officially-appoints-gcaleka-as-the-new-public-protector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radioislam.org.za\/a\/ramaphosa-officially-appoints-gcaleka-as-the-new-public-protector\/","title":{"rendered":"Ramaphosa officially appoints Gcaleka as the new Public Protector"},"content":{"rendered":"

Neelam Rahim | neelam@radioislam.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n

3-minute read
\n04 November 2023 | 09:03 CAT<\/p>\n

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Image: South African<\/p><\/div>\n

The Presidency announced on Wednesday morning that President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed Gcaleka, the former Deputy Public Protector who took on acting Public Protector in June last year.<\/p>\n

“The president wishes advocate Gcaleka well in her position and trusts that she will serve the people of South Africa with honour and dedication,” the Presidency said in a statement.<\/p>\n

Her seven-year term starts on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

The term of Gcaleka’s predecessor, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, ended on 14 October. Mkhwebane, however, was suspended by Ramaphosa in June last year ahead of an inquiry into her fitness for office.<\/p>\n

After an arduous process, with Mkhwebane and her legal team filibustering, the inquiry found Mkhwebane incompetent and guilty of misconduct and recommended her removal. The required two-thirds majority of the National Assembly voted to support her removal on 11 September, and she became the first head of a Chapter 9 institution to be removed.<\/p>\n

However, there was mixed reaction from political parties to President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to appoint Gcaleka as the country’s fifth public protector.<\/p>\n

Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane said the country needs a “public protector, not a president’s protector”.<\/p>\n

“Kholeka is arriving with a cloud of Phala Phala over her head, we need to investigate that matter”, said Maimane.<\/p>\n

Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse executive director of accountability Stefanie Fick said Gcaleka would have to wipe out the trust deficit at the public protector’s office.<\/p>\n

“Kholeka has got an enormous task to convince us, the public that there will be no political interference,” Fick added.<\/p>\n

Listen to the full interview on The Daily Round-Up with Moulana Junaid Kharsany.<\/p>\n