This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa acted swiftly in formally removing her as the country’s public protector following an impeachment vote in Parliament on Monday.
In a letter on Tuesday, a day after Parliament voted for her removal from office, Ramaphosa informed Mkhwebane of the decision.
On Monday, 79.5% of the National Assembly voted in support of the section 194 committee that found Mkhwebane incompetent and guilty of misconduct, and unfit to hold office as the public protector.
In his letter to Mkhwebane, Ramaphosa said now that the inquiry has finalised its work and sent its report to Parliament, and members of the National Assembly voted for her removal, the president is obliged to remove her from office.
“In terms of section 194(3)(b) of the Constitution, when the National Assembly adopts a resolution for the removal of the public protector, the president ‘must’ remove the public protector from the office,” Ramaphosa said.
“I therefore inform you that you are hereby removed from the office of the public protector in terms of section 194(3)(b) of the Constitution on the grounds of misconduct and incompetence.”
Mkhwebane’s term was set to come to an end on October 14, and her impeachment by the president will see her forfeit her R10 million gratuity benefit.
However, a defiant Mkhwebane took to X on Wednesday morning, saying she wished the DA/ANC mission against her was channelled to ending load shedding and other social ills bedevilling the country.
“DA/ANC mission accomplished! I wish we could see such ‘concomitant efficiency’ to end load shedding? This injustice,sadly perpetrated on Steve Biko Day, will be legally challenged in review proceedings. The stone the builders rejected became the cornerstone. If I perish I perish. Ngiyathokoza Mzansi and Africa,” Mkhwebane tweeted.