Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane has opened criminal charges against Minister of State Security Dipuo Letsatsi-Duba over her alleged interference with the functioning of the office of the Public Protector. 

The charges were laid on March 13 in Brooklyn, Pretoria, the office of the Public Protector said in a statement.

According to Mkhwebane, Letsatsi-Duba failed to avail a declassified document she requires in connection with an investigation into alleged violation of the Executive Members’ Ethics Act by former Minister of Finance and incumbent Minister of Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan.

"It is my respectful view that the Minister’s failure to avail the declassified report as subpoenaed amounts to contempt of the Public Protector and interference with the functioning of my office, and is therefore an offence," Mkhwebane said.

"The Constitution makes it clear that no person or organ of state may interfere with the functioning of independent constitutional institutions such as my office.

"The Constitutional Court has clarified this further, explaining that, in doing my work, I am not to be inhibited, undermined or sabotaged and that my powers are 'not supposed to bow down to anybody'."