CAPE TOWN – The former CEO of the Human Rights Commission, Tseliso Thipanyane, and the Pension Funds Adjudicator, Muvhango Lukhaimane, have received the most nominations from political parties to be considered as the country’s next Public Protector.
It will be the second time Lukhaimane is running for the job after also being interviewed in 2016.
On Wednesday, an ad hoc committee of Parliament whittled down a list of 36 nominations to eight.
It includes the deputy Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka, who was been acting in the position for the last year.
Only two of the eight candidates on the shortlist applied for the job as the country’s fifth Public Protector.
They are North West University law professor, Boitumelo Mmusinyane, and Advocate Lynn Marais.
The other six candidates were all nominated by the public.
They include Lukhaimane who was a frontrunner in interviews in 2016.
She’s been nominated by both the African National Congress (ANC) and Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), receiving a total of five nominations from the committee.
Also receiving the same number of nominations is a director in the office of the Chief Justice, Thipanyane.
The Democratic Alliance (DA) abstained from nominating any candidates.
Gcaleka and Marais each got four nominations.
Advocates Oliver Josie and Tommy Ntsewa each garnered three nominations to make the shortlist, while magistrate Johannah Ledwaba and Mmusinyane, received two apiece.
The shortlisted candidates will all be screened ahead of an interview process in August.
The term of the current Public Protector, Busisiwe Mkhwebane, ends in October.
Source : EWN
