The South African Legal Practice Council (LPC) has confirmed it will remove former Public Protector Advocate Busisiwe Mkhwebane from the roll of advocates, marking another setback in her controversial legal and political career. Mkhwebane, currently the Mpumalanga Provincial Convenor of the uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) Party, was impeached and removed from her position as Public Protector in September 2023—the first head of a Chapter 9 institution to face such a fate.
While the LPC has not publicly detailed its reasons for the decision, *News24* reports that the council is pursuing a court application against her. This follows previous scrutiny of her conduct, including a 2019 finding that she had lied under oath.
Mkhwebane’s tenure as Public Protector was marred by legal battles and criticism over her handling of high-profile investigations. After her impeachment, she briefly served as an EFF Member of Parliament from October 2023 to October 2024 before joining the MK Party, which is aligned with former President Jacob Zuma. Her appointment as Mpumalanga leader was contested by an internal faction led by businesswoman Mary Phadi, reflecting ongoing divisions within the party.
In 2020, the Pretoria High Court dismissed an application to have her declared unfit for office, but the LPC’s latest move suggests her professional standing remains under scrutiny. The impending legal proceedings could further inflame tensions at the intersection of law and politics in South Africa, where accountability and partisan loyalties often collide.
As the case unfolds, it will test the boundaries of legal ethics and political consequences, reinforcing the challenges of upholding professional standards in a highly polarized environment.