Mkhwebane ‘saving her energy’ for bigger fight with Zille
Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane is preparing for the review application of her remedial action against Western Cape Premier Helen Zille over her controversial colonialism tweets.
Mkhwebane has already begun preparing court documents in the review application.
This follow the High Court in Pretoria’s interdict preventing Mkhwebane or the provincial legislature implementing her remedial action.
“What is critical this is just an interdict it does not touch on the merits of the case. We are going to focus our energies on the defending the decision in the review application that the premier has embarked upon,” says spokesperson Oupa Segalwe.
Segalwe says Mkhwebane did not oppose Zille’s application for an interdict.
Mkhwebane’s arguments in court are set to focus on the substantive issues in the dispute.
ALSO READ: LISTEN: Zille to challenge Public Protector’s finding on tweets
Zille is arguing that she was justified in her views when she alluded that colonialism had positive sentiments, citing her right to freedom of expression.
In June, Mkhwebane found Zille’s action to be offensive and insensitive to the victims of apartheid and colonisation.
She said, given the negative response to Zille's tweet and her influential position, her statement was not consistent with the integrity of her office.