Madonsela interrupted by protesters during Tutu address

Cape Town - A handful of “Black First, Land First” protesters interrupted the Desmond Tutu International Peace lecture at the University of the Western Cape on Wednesday.

The group demanded that Public Protector Thuli Madonsela, who was speaking at the time, speed up an investigation into the R26bn allegedly stolen from the Reserve Bank pre-1994. Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu was also in attendance.

The group was quickly heralded out of the hall by campus security, while a choir started singing during the distraction.

Explaining the interruption, a poised Madonsela said the drama had started in her Johannesburg office earlier in the day when the members of the group stormed in demanding an audience.

“The young people contacted me a few weeks ago asking why the investigation is being delayed. They are the complainants. I do apologise that they decided to bring the drama here. We are in touch with the complainants and are giving them feedback.”

She said when the protesters wrote to her, she had told them about the holdup in the investigation.

The money relates to the findings of an investigation by government in 1997.

The investigation found that money stolen from the bank had been channelled to commercial banks as well as offshore accounts.

In 1999, the report was handed to then-president Thabo Mbeki.

Madonsela started her investigation four years ago.