Cape Town - Suspended Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has released audio recordings allegedly by MPs who attempted to solicit a R600 000 bribe in order to manipulate or make her impeachment inquiry “go away”.
Mkhwebane played the recordings during a media briefing on Tuesday, saying more were to be released.
The Cape Times’s sister publication, The Star, reported last month that Mkhwebane’s husband, David Skosana, had lodged a complaint of extortion with the police against ANC chief whip Pemmy Majodina, Richard Dyantyi, who chairs Mkhwebane’s impeachment inquiry, and the late Tina Joemat-Pettersson, who chaired the portfolio committee on police services.
In his statement to police, Skosana claimed he was told to “make available a sum of R200 000 each for Joemat-Pettersson, Dyantyi, and Majodina so they could ‘manipulate or make the impeachment proceedings go away’.”
Mkhwebane said the Hawks were investigating the matter.
“There are investigations under way, the Hawks are investigating and there is a lot of evidence,” she said.
Majodina and Dyantyi have denied the allegations.
Parliamentary spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, said they would not respond to questions on the matter at this stage.
“Parliament has received several media invitations to react to the claims made by suspended public protector, Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane, during her media conference this afternoon.
“The National Assembly Speaker and Parliament will not engage in public mudslinging with anyone, particularly when it involves ongoing investigations by various institutions, including Parliament. Engaging in such would be fruitless, counterproductive, and undermine the truth-seeking efforts of these institutions,“ Mothapo said.
The Hawks said an investigation into the matter was ongoing.
More on this story on the Cape Times on Wednesday.
Cape Times