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On 5 February 2026 the Democratic Alliance (DA) lodged a complaint with the Public Protector, among others, regarding the Secretary to Parliament, Xolile George’s, salary increase of more than 88% since 2022, and the misappropriation of funds relating to the BRICS summit at Emperor’s Palace in 2023.

The Public Protector, in a letter dated 11 February 2026, replied to the DA’s enquiry after it then came to light that the Public Protector and Secretary to Parliament are allegedly in a romantic relationship.

Her response stated: “In line with section 3(14) and (15) of the Public Protector Act 23 of 1994, I immediately disclosed to Adv N Nkabinde, the Chief Operations Officer and Head of Legal Services, Adv N vd Merwe, that I may reasonably be perceived to have a conflict between my private interests and my official duties in this matter”.

The exact nature of the relationship between Mr George and the Public Protector is none of my concern.

However, it is clearly of such a nature that the Public Protector saw it fit to recuse herself based on her “private interests” in the matter related to him.

The question now is: did the Secretary to Parliament make a declaration to the Executive Authority of Parliament (the Speaker and Chairperson of the NCOP), declaring the same possible conflict of interest?

This is important, since the Public Protector is the head of a Chapter 9 institution that may well in future be called on to investigate matters related to Parliament of which George is the accounting officer and he therefore has an ethical obligation to disclose such a possible conflict.

In a response to the DA’s enquiry on the matter to the Speaker, she declined to state whether this was done, stating that it “falls within the responsibility of the Office of the Public Protector to respond to the DA”.

This is simply not true, since the effect of such a conflict would have an impact on George’s work as much as it would on that of the Public Protector.

The DA will continue to pursue the matter with the Speaker and we urge the media to also demand a clear response from the Executive Authority of Parliament in the public interest and that of accountability.

Issued by George Michalakis MP - DA Chief Whip in Parliament