JOHANNESBURG, February 11 (ANA) – The African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) wants recently appointed Public Protector Busi Mkhwabane to “consider a case of abuse of state resources” by her predecessor Thuli Madonsela.
The league had noted reports that Madonsela had written to Mkhwebane offering to pay for the state car damaged in an accident while being driven by her son, ANCWL secretary general Meokgo Matuba said in a statement on Saturday.
“In settling the matter for good and allowing adv Madonsela with her new life chapter to deepen and make democracy and rule of law work for people, the public protector must investigate if the case of theft of state vehicle was reported to law enforcement agencies by adv Madonsela after state vehicle was taken and driven by unauthorised person (sic).
“If no case was it reported, that the public protector must consider laying a charge of defeating the ends of justice against adv Madonsela. If the son had permission to drive a state vehicle, public protector must consider a case of abuse of state resources by adv Madonsela. Investigstions must also be carried to ascertain if the son was driving the state vehicle for the first time or he was used to do so (sic),” Matuba said.
In her letter to Mkhwebane on Friday, Madonsela offered to pay for the state car damaged in an accident while being driven by her son.
“Kindly receive my offer to pay for the cost of the repairs for the state car that was damaged in an accident while being driven, without my authorisation, by my son, who was about 22 years old at the time. The offer effectively authorises the public protector of South Africa ex post facto to keep the amount arbitrarily deducted from my gratuity on 15 October 2016,” Madonsela wrote in the letter.
“After careful consideration of this matter, in the light of my moral values and ethics, I have concluded that paying for the damage caused by my son who can’t afford to do so is the right thing to do. I also reiterate the apology I made to government and the people of South Africa on behalf of my family about the regrettable incident that led to the repair costs.”
Madonsela said that in documents forwarded to her from the office of the public protector she noted that the total amount deducted from her gratuity on December 15 was R470,000.
“However, it is important to place on record that my offer to pay is made from my moral ethical stance. I maintain, as previously communicated to the public, Parliament, and persons delegated by you to inform me about the intended deduction that I never personally acted in contravention of any public protector South Africa policies, applicable government prescripts, and general laws of the land regarding the accident.
“My legal stance accordingly remains unchanged. I also remain concerned over the lack of satisfactory answers regarding the anomalously high amount for repairs which is virtually two thirds of the value of the car at the time of the crash,” Madonsela wrote.
In 2012 Madonsela’s son reportedly drove the vehicle assigned to her mother and crashed it into the garden wall of a Pretoria property.
– African News Agency (ANA)
