By Jenni Evans, From News24

Johannesburg – Public Protector Thuli Madonsela says that while her seven years in office have been “epic”, she will be leaving with a touch of cynicism.

“I leave a little cynical about human beings,” Madonsela said during News24’s livestreamed discussion show Frontline.

“I now listen to everyone with a pinch of salt. Because honestly I have just learnt that humans just lie with a straight face,” she said.

Some of her funniest moments involved office talk about the allegations that she was a spy for the US Central Intelligence Agency, had three handlers, was bankrolled by a professor and had a secret account in the Cayman Islands, she said.

“How can somebody be so dumb? If you are going to frame someone at least hire someone who can create a credible story.”

She said a fake Gmail account was created to boost claims that she was a spy but it used her name.

Not so funny

“What kind of spies are so stupid to use their real names? What kind of spy uses their real name on a Gmail address?” she asked.

She said according to allegations, she was supposed to have also been a spy for the Israeli secret service Mossad and Britain’s MI6.

But the joke was over, she said, when on an overseas trip she found out that the South African government had announced that it was investigating a claim that she was a spy.

MP and Deputy Minister of Defence Kebby Maphatsoe also added his voice to the claims that she was a CIA agent.

This was based on allegations in a crude blog and, said Madonsela, the State Security Agency has still apparently not concluded its investigation on this issue.

Madonsela plans to take a sabbatical next year and will go back to practising law in 2018, possibly also teaching.

IMAGE: Thuli Madonsela (Lerato Maduna, Netwerk24)

For more on this story go to: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/madonsela-leaving-with-a-touch-of-cynicism-humans-just-lie-with-a-straight-face-news24thuli-20161011