Seven candidates set to be interviewed for deputy Public Protector position
The position became vacant in 2023 after Kholeka Gcaleka was interviewed and appointed as the new Public Protector.
The position for a deputy public protector is in the process of being filled. Picture: Facebook/Public Protector South Africa
CAPE TOWN - Seven candidates, mostly advocates, are set to be interviewed in Parliament on Wednesday for the job of deputy Public Protector.
The position became vacant in 2023 after Kholeka Gcaleka was interviewed and appointed as the new Public Protector.
In a bizarre twist, former public protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane will be on the interviewing panel as an Economic Freedom Fighters member of Parliament.
Mkhwebane will be on the interviewing panel as a member of the justice committee.
Among the candidates is the executive director for investigations in the Public Protector’s office, Ponatshego Mogaladi, who testified at Mkhwebane’s impeachment inquiry in 2023 about a culture of intimidation, fear and mistrust under her leadership.
She will come face to face with an employee of the office who testified in her parliamentary impeachment inquiry in 2023.
The list of 44 candidates, who either applied or were nominated was whittled down to eight candidates in February, all choices of the African National Congress.
But Wednesday’s interview list reveals that one of those candidates has since withdrawn.
It leaves four men and three women to face the justice committee.
One has applied for the job before while another, former South African Human Rights Commission CEO Tseliso Thipanyane was interviewed six months ago for the Public Protector’s job.
The post is for a seven-year, renewable term.
The full list of candidates to be interviewed includes:
Adv. Shadrack Tebeile
Adv. Tommy Bunguzana
Mr Azwidini Mavhidula
Adv Tseliso Thipanyane
Adv Siphokazi Moloshe
Ms Ponatshego Mogaladi
Magistrate Lindiwe Mkhize