Busisiwe Mkhwebane latest high profile member to resign from EFF
Former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has resigned from the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), a year after she joined the party, the latest in a series of prominent members to leave its ranks since the 29 May elections.
Mkhwebane, who has served as an EFF MP in the National Assembly, also tendered her resignation to the speaker of parliament, Thoko Didiza, on Wednesday morning.
She was removed as public protector last year after parliament decided to impeach her and has since lost a number of court battles with the state, most recently her failed attempt to force the government to pay her a R10 million gratuity.
Mkhwebane was then appointed as an EFF MP and served as its representative on the justice and constitutional development committee.
In her resignation letter to EFF president Julius Malema and the party’s leadership, Mkhwebane said the past seven years had made her realise that “our fight for freedom was in vain”.
“There was never a time when I felt my rights had been violated as it had been done in the years when I was the South African public protector,” Mkhwebane wrote.
“This continued even after I was unconstitutionally removed by parliament and by the president of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa.”
Mkhwebane said she “felt let down” by the judiciary, parliament, the executive and “especially the mainstream media, who seem to have been tasked to target and attack my character”.
“Each step seemed more daunting than the last, and I found my strength dwindling. This is exactly what they wanted, to suffocate, humiliate and treat me as less of a human being,” Mkhwebane wrote.
She said her “sin” was to investigate the South African Reserve Bank, the CR17 donations and the Phala Phala scandal.
“My sin was delivering reports and findings against certain individuals, who were offended and felt I had to be dealt with harshly. My family was attacked, my mother who later passed away never knew peace after journalists harassed her. I survived many attempts where there were plans to take my life,” she wrote.
She thanked the party for having supported her in her “time of need”.
“After careful consideration and talking to my family, they advised and felt I needed to go away, spend time with them, rest and continue to fight for the vulnerable where possible,” she wrote.
“In my time of need, you fighters extended me a helping hand, becoming a refuge for me over the past 12 months. Your unwavering support has been a beacon of hope and for that I am deeply grateful,” Mkhwebane said in her letter.
She said that she would now “focus on spending cherished moments with my family”.
Mkhwebane’s departure from the Red Berets follows that of its founding deputy president, Floyd Shivambu, who is now national organiser for the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party.
But its spokesperson, Nhlamulo Ndhlela, said that he was not aware of any plan for her to join the MK party.
EFF spokesperson Leigh-Ann Mathys had not responded to a request for comment at the time of writing.