Her staff members, including an investigator in the Free State office, have expressed their dissatisfaction with her leadership and how she handles investigations. 

In an exclusive interview with OFM News, a senior officer in her office in the Free State, Hamilton Samuel, has confirmed receiving a notice of suspension from Mkhwebane after he on Monday wrote a letter to her requesting her to resign from her position. 

Samuel says Mkhwebane has thus far brought nothing but disrepute to the office of the Public Protector and has failed to uphold the office's mandate by protecting politician's interests. 

He told OFM News the report on the controversial Vrede Dairy Project is a classic example of how Mkhwebane fails to do her job and prioritises the interests of certain politicians. Samuel says him and his colleagues, which he would not name, have lost confidence in Mkhwebane and would like to see her vacate office.

Samuel made headlines last month after his affidavit of alleged financial mismanagement in Mkhwebane's office.

He submitted the affidavit to parliament on the grounds that he and his colleagues felt Mkhwebane was being protected by the committee to which they lodged their complaints, within the office of the public protector.

Samuel said critical information relating to the investigation regarding the multi-million rand Vrede Dairy Project was ignored.

The project, which was earmarked to assist 80 upcoming farmers to the tune of over R220 million, has for years made international news following allegations that this money was looted out of the Free State Government and a substantial amount thereof used to fund the Gupta Sun City wedding in 2013.

Mkhwebane's initial report on the project has been taken on review by the DA - calling it nothing but a whitewash, alleging that she failed to indicate the role played by politicians.

Mkhwebane on Tuesday once again came under fire after the North Gauteng High Court declared her report against President Cyril Ramaphosa invalid and set it aside.

Mkhwebane had in a report, released in July last year, found Ramaphosa deliberately misled Parliament about a R500 000 donation his CR17 ANC election campaign received from the late Bosasa businessman Gavin Watson.  

Passing down judgment, Judge President Dunstan Mlambo, however, found that her report exceeded the scope of her office and was fundamentally flawed.

Samuel said his suspension supports findings made by the North Gauteng High Court, which ruled she was reckless in her judgments.

OFM News