WATCH: MPs to vote on inquiry into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office

Should MPs vote in favour of adopting the independent panel’s report, an ad hoc committee will be established to probe the public protector's conduct.

The National Assembly. Picture: GCIS

The National Assembly is set to vote this afternoon from 2pm on whether to adopt a report by an independent review panel that recommended a parliamentary inquiry into public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.

The panel was established by National Assembly speaker Thandi Modise last year after the Democratic Alliance tabled a motion for Mkhwebane’s removal from office. It found substantial information that constitutes prima facie evidence of incompetence and misconduct against the public protector.

UPDATE: Bad day for Mkhwebane: MPs vote in favour of inquiry into her fitness

Should MPs vote in favour of adopting the report, an ad hoc committee will be established by parliament into Mkhwebane’s fitness to hold office.

It’s understood that the ANC called an emergency meeting with its parliamentary caucus on Thursday ahead of the vote in the National Assembly. The governing party has been divided over the removal of Mkhwebane from office, with some of its MPs saying they would vote against the report.

At the weekend, the ANC caucus in parliament said it supported the process to set up an inquiry. But, its chief whip Pemmy Majodina said it was too early for the party to decide whether to vote for or against Mkhwebane’s removal.

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