‘While Busisiwe Mkhwebane still occupies the office of Public Protector, it may be that whatever legitimacy she enjoyed when she arrived in late 2016, whatever moral authority she has had, is either ebbing or has gone completely.’

TV and radio host Stephen Grootes adds there is ‘little evidence’ that Mkhwebane is able to command much support from people.

‘At the same time, her decisions in office are often disputed by the people they affect. If she is wrong on the law or in her findings of fact, her decisions have then been overturned by the courts. While it may be tempting to think this process of her losing her moral authority has only begun now, it really is the result of a much longer process.’

Writing on the Daily Maverick site, Grootes says it began with her finding, in the Absa CIEX Report case, that the Reserve Bank’s mandate should be changed. This was a finding well outside the scope of her power (she ‘ordered’ Parliament to change its policy), and the scope of the complaint, as it was not something the complainant had asked her to investigate. It then emerged that in the course of making her findings she had held a meeting with officials from the State Security Agency.

And that during this meeting a handwritten note was produced in relation to a discussion about the Reserve Bank asking ‘how are they vulnerable’.

‘It was possibly from this point on that those who criticise Mkhwebane came to believe that she was directly working for a political faction.’

Grootes says despite all of the court battles and threats, it is not entirely clear what anyone gains from her remaining in her position now.

‘Mkhwebane may win some court battles, or delay the process long enough to remain until the end of her term. But, apart from the actual occupation of her office, what damage has she managed to inflict?’

He says while her findings often cannot stand up to legal scrutiny and are discarded, it may be that the longer she fights on – and the longer she insists on picking fights that she has no hope of winning – the weaker her public position becomes.

‘It may also be that the longer this goes on, the weaker her public protestations that she is acting in a neutral manner and in accordance with her Chapter Nine position.’

Grootes says the office of the Public Protector does not appear to be focusing on protecting people against big powerful institutions, but rather on protecting Mkhwebane.

‘Whoever ends up replacing her will not only have to deal with her toxic legacy, but also real-world consequences of the years when the SA public really didn’t have its champion.’

Full analysis on the Daily Maverick site