Public Protecter committee questions Malunga over State Security concern

The concerns were raised ahead of Malunga's interview with the ad hoc committee tasked with finding a new Public Protector. 

The lives of 14 candidates, who applied to succeed Thuli Madonsela, were dissected in Parliament yesterday - during a marathon set of interviews that spilled over night into the early hours of this morning.

As the front runner to succeed Madonsela, Kevin Malunga's interview was marred by a letter submitted by State Security at the 11th hour.

The letter said that Malunga only qualifies for confidential clearance and he requires top secret clearance. 

It also stated that Malunga was born in Zimbabwe, entered South Africa in 2005 and naturalised in November 2010

Committee members questioned the timing of the letter, its intentions and the legislation that requires a Public Protector to have security clearance. 

"I similarly have these concerns as expressed by Mr [Floyd] Shivambu, because if you go back to Adv Malunga's interviews for the Deputy Public Protector's position, none of these issues were raised then and surely the screening is as relevant then as it is today, because a Deputy Public Protector would have had the same screening," Christian Democratic Party MP Steve Swart said.

Swart questioned the State Security's timing.

"It seems very strange to me that suddenly on 4 August we get this letter that says he doesn't qualify and he is the frontrunner," Swart said.

In his defence Malunga said as far as he knows he is a South African citizen by law.

"I just want to highlight the fact that I've got family both in South Africa and in Zimbabwe and I travel both places very frequently. So, if [State Security] doesn't understand that, I feel sorry for them, because that is the policy of Africanism, African Union, we are a free country," Malunga said.