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Parly gives former Public Protector Mushwana the cold shoulder

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Advocate Lourence Mushwana. Picture: Jabu Kumalo
Advocate Lourence Mushwana. Picture: Jabu Kumalo

Parliament has snubbed the outgoing chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission, Lourence Mushwana, by not reappointing him to serve another term in the commission.

This morning, the National Assembly’s portfolio committee on justice finalised the names of candidates to be appointed to the commission and Mushwana was not among them.

Instead Bongani Majola, Matlhodi Makwetla, Devikarani Jana, Andre Gaum, Jonas Ben Sibanyoni, Bokankatla Malatji and Chris Nissen were recommended for appointment.

The names will have to be approved by the National Assembly and President Jacob Zuma will make the actual appointments at the recommendation of the House.

Majola may have missed out on heading one Chapter Nine institution [the Public Protector], but he seems on his way to lead another one – the Human Rights Commission.

The justice committee has nominated him for the position of the commission’s chairperson and Jana as his deputy.

Majola was among the 14 candidates that were interviewed by the special parliamentary committee that was established to find a new Public Protector in August.

He was shortlisted among the final five but did not get enough support from MPs to be the new Public Protector.

This morning, not a single MP proposed Mushwana’s name for recommendation, but his colleague Bokankatla Malatji has been recommended for another term.

Mushwana accepted nomination for reappointment last month and was among the 14 candidates interviewed by the justice committee two weeks ago.

Mushwana was appointed to the Human Rights Commission in October 2009, shortly after completing his seven-year stint as the country’s second Public Protector.

According to the South African Human Rights Commission Act, commissioners may be full-time or part-time and hold office for a fixed term not exceeding seven years.

The commission is made up of eight commissioners, but Parliament appointed seven because Mohamed Ameermia was only appointed in February 2014.

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