Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has accused President Cyril Ramaphosa’s legal team of “litigating through the media.”
She was speaking to reporters in Pietermaritzburg on Wednesday after a meeting with KwaZulu-Natal’s legislature.
‘Unlawfully using FIC information’
Business Day reports that Ramaphosa’s lawyers have accused Mkhwebane of unlawfully using information contained in a Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) report.
According to them, Mkhwebane used that information to make adverse findings against Ramaphosa in the CR17 campaign funding matter.
They argue that this is in violation of the FIC Act and an FIC advisory that the information was for intelligence purposes only, not evidence.
‘Unnecessary litigation’
However, Mkhwebane disapproved of the fact that these concerns have found their way to the media.
It is so unfortunate that the same president’s lawyers are litigating through the media and it is a challenge for us as an institution. They should not be perpetuating this unnecessary litigation through the media.
Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane
She said she would respond to the concerns in court papers, not through the media.
Mkhwebane advised journalists to “focus on what the law says about the conduct of our leaders” and not “these issues.”
She said the Public Protector’s office doesn’t wish to antagonise government but to strengthen democracy.