Committee denies MPs attacked protector
2012-10-18 20:57
Cape Town - Parliament's portfolio committee on justice has denied a news report claiming that ANC members had attacked Public Protector Thuli Madonsela.
"The committee denies suggestions in the Sunday Times that only ANC MPs questioned the Public Protector, advocate Thuli Madonsela," committee chairperson Luwellyn Landers said on Thursday.
"Opposition MPs also asked difficult, searching questions, as is the norm."
Landers said the committee was merely performing its oversight role during a Madonsela briefing to MPs on her office's annual report on Friday, and that the tone was no different from its engagement with other entities.
He said: "It must be pointed out that no ANC MP questioned Advocate Madonsela's integrity, as was reported in the Sunday Times."
In a front-page report headlined "MPs join ANC top brass in questioning Madonsela’s impartiality" the newspaper said pressure was mounting on Madonsela as Parliament prepared to look into complaints from within her office on how she runs the Chapter Nine institution.
Chapter Nine institutions are those which guard democracy.
- SAPA
