Cape Town - Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane did not recall making a phone call to a former colleague wherein she allegedly indicated that she would be personally happy if the Vrede Dairy investigation did not make adverse findings.
This was said by Mkhwebane’s legal counsel advocate Dali Mpofu when he was cross-examining former executive manager for provincial investigations and integration Reginald Ndou.
Ndou returned to the Section 194 Committee enquiry into the fitness of Mkhwebane to hold office after his testimony was halted last week when he experienced connectivity problems.
In his affidavit he said he had received a short call where Mkhwebane said the investigator in the Vrede Dairy matter advocate Erika Cilliers was doing the bidding of the DA and that she would personally be happy if there were no adverse findings in the report.
“The public (protector) does not recall making such a call to you,” Mpofu said.
He put it to Ndou that Mkhwebane had not interacted with the report on Vrede Dairy for the first time when its file was handed over to the head office.
He suggested that Mkhwebane may have gained an impression about Cilliers from her earlier interactions with the report.
Asked if he understood that Mkhwebane gave an instruction when she said she would be happy if there were no adverse findings, Ndou said he understood it as her wish.
Ndou also confirmed that the report did not implicate politicians directly and that Mkhwebane was concerned with outstanding information former Free State premier Ace Magashule had not supplied and that she wanted it to be obtained.
Ndou also confirmed that it was actually Cilliers who was against the use of the Gupta leaks.
“I am aware because she spoke at Think Tank.
“From her point of view the complainant was interested in maladministration not Gupta leaks.”
Cape Times