Mkhwebane claims LPC didn’t notify her of intention of disbarment

Former Public Protector and uMkhonto weSizwe Party MP Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane says the Legal Practice Council (LPC) has not formally notified her of its intention to apply for her disbarment.

Parliament impeached her after finding her guilty of misconduct and incompetence.

Mkhwebane was removed as Public Protector in 2023 following a Section 194 inquiry into her fitness to hold office.

She says a media house sent her a statement from the LPC after she found out about the council’s decision on social media platform X.

“They have not yet written to me and that’s why I am saying, it’s very strange and I wonder why are they pursuing something like this when they should have written to me, they should have received my side of the story. They have the promotion of Administrative and Justice Act where after taking the decision, they should have written to me and told me, we met, we deliberated on this or we received a complaint from this particular person about the following. Can you respond to these allegations?”

Mkhwebane described the LPC’s intention as politically motivated.

“You can’t publish or use a journalist to publish information on X, if you are professional as an organization and have no ulterior motives. There is information which I have that the previous council discussed the matter. Actually after Advocate Hoffmann lodged an application with the Pretoria High Court whilst I was still the Public Protector to have me struck off the roll and that was thrown out of court. And they then entertained the matter and decided that there is no merit on the matter so why bring it back now?”