Impeached former Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has raised concerns about the romantic relationship between her successor, Kholeka Gcaleka, and Secretary to Parliament Xolile George, warning of potential conflicts of interest given their intersecting roles .
The Relationship and Recusal
Gcaleka disclosed her three-year romantic relationship with George after recusing herself from investigating a DA complaint regarding an 88% salary increase for George since 2022, from R2.6 million to approximately R4.9 million . The complaint also alleged misappropriation of funds related to the 2023 BRICS Parliamentary forum at Emperor’s Palace .
In a letter to DA chief whip George Michalakis, Gcaleka confirmed she had informed her office’s chief operations officer and head of legal services of the potential conflict . The investigation has been delegated to Deputy Public Protector Dinkie Dube .
Mkhwebane’s Concerns
Mkhwebane, now an MK Party provincial chairperson in Mpumalanga, told Sunday World that the relationship touches on “fundamental principles of institutional integrity, conflict of interest, transparency, and the safeguards embedded in South Africa’s constitutional framework” .
“While recusal in specific matters is commendable, the governance architecture demands more: proactive, transparent disclosure; structural firewalls; and vigilance against perceptions of bias,” Mkhwebane said .
She noted that personal relationships become a public matter when individuals hold senior constitutional or parliamentary offices whose functions intersect, giving rise to “a reasonable perception of conflict of interest or compromised independence” .
Mkhwebane is currently in a legal battle to compel the Office of the Public Protector to pay her a R10-million gratuity, which the institution argues she has no legal basis to receive following her impeachment in 2022 .
DA’s Position
DA chief whip George Michalakis said while the exact nature of the relationship is not his concern, Gcaleka’s recusal shows it was serious enough to trigger conflict-of-interest provisions . He argued that George has an ethical obligation to disclose such a possible conflict to Parliament’s executive authority, as the Public Protector may in future investigate matters involving Parliament where George serves as accounting officer .
Speaker Thoko Didiza declined to intervene, stating the matter falls within the responsibility of the Public Protector’s office .
Parliament’s Response
Parliament spokesperson Moloto Mothapo defended George, stating there is no law requiring officials to disclose personal relationships .
“Parliament will not entertain personal slander, speculation, or reflections directed at officials, particularly where such commentary descends into intrusion on private personal relationships,” Mothapo said . He added that allegations relating to George are already subject to an established committee-led oversight process .
Public Protector’s Office Statement
Public Protector acting spokesperson Ndile Msoki emphasised that Gcaleka acted strictly within the law, proactively recusing herself to protect the institution’s credibility . He compared it to a judge withdrawing from a case due to potential bias .
Msoki confirmed the complaint is now overseen by Deputy Public Protector Dinkie Dube, with investigations conducted independently by senior managers under established institutional safeguards .
Previous Clashes
This is not the first tension between Mkhwebane and Gcaleka. In October 2024, a parliamentary meeting descended into a shouting match after Gcaleka described Mkhwebane as “conflicted” due to her status as an impeached public protector now serving as an MP with oversight of the office . During that meeting, Mkhwebane’s husband David Skosana was accused of sending threatening messages to the Public Protector’s CEO over Mkhwebane’s gratuity claim .
