With the Public Protector’s report emanating from an investigation conducted into the Nkandlagate scandal set to be released tomorrow, the DA challenges President Jacob Zuma to publicly commit ahead of its release to ensuring that the recommendations contained in the Public Protector’s report- no matter how damning- are upheld and respected.
The Constitution is very clear that anyone who interferes with the work of the Office of the Public Protector is guilty of an offence. Section 181 (4) of the Constitution states that ‘no person or organ of state may interfere with the functioning of these institutions.’
Just past week, we have witnessed the ANC’s transparent campaign to discredit the Public Protector before the release of her final report in an effort to shield President Zuma from accountability. This includes:
- The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Tina Joemat-Pattersson who served court papers on Adv Madonsela on Friday, challenging her report on the tender to manage the state's fishery vessels, which was released on December 4;
- Reports that the ANC is expected to tell its members to ignore the Public Protector's Nkandla report if its findings are adverse and accused Adv Madonsela of producing a report designed to influence the outcome of the elections;
- The ANC Secretary General, Gwede Mantashe over the weekend adding that the party would treat the findings as a "political report" in an effort to discredit the report ahead of its release; and
- Just yesterday, the Minister of Public Service and Administration Minister, Lindiwe Sisulu, who jumped on the bandwagon, questioning whether the Public Protector has ‘given herself enough time’ to complete an investigation of this magnitude.
These cheap and transparent tactics from the ANC must be seen for what they truly are. South Africans will not be fooled- those who have broken public trust and abused public money for personal enrichment must be held to account.
If President Zuma is to uphold the Constitution, as he obliged to do, he must distance himself from these attacks and commit today that he will respect the findings - no matter what they are.