Parly House chair Frolick rebukes justice committee over inability to reach consensus on recommending new deputy PP

Parliament’s House chairperson, Cedric Frolick, has read the justice committee the riot act over its inability to reach political consensus on a report recommending a new deputy public protector.

This despite the committee announcing in April already that it will recommend advocate Dinkie Dube to take up the job.

The public protector’s office has been without a deputy since Kholeka Gcaleka began acting as public protector in June 2022, before her permanent appointment to head the office in November 2023.

More than a year ago, President Cyril Ramaphosa directed Parliament to begin a process to recruit a new deputy public protector.

This after the first process during the previous administration was scrapped over the conflict of former public protector and former Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) MP, Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s presence on the interviewing panel.

Since announcing a preferred candidate in April, the justice committee subsequently bumped heads over the outcome in a fiery meeting in May, after the EFF’s voting rights were called into question fter not having participated in the interviews, the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) rejected the recommendation, and the Democratic Alliance (DA) reserved its rights.

Frolick said the deadlock had turned into a game of political brinkmanship.

"When committee meetings are called to discuss the matter, the quorum collapses, because parties don’t want to come to a decision. Now that is unacceptable. We need a report to come to the House, and the House must give direction."

Frolick said he expected an interim report to be tabled if the committee could not agree to a final version.

The same committee is also in a stalemate over the appointment of a new SA Human Rights commissioner.