SOUTH Africa’s new government ombudsman accused her predecessor on Wednesday of misusing funds and falling under foreign influence.

Just three days into the job, new broom Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane made a series of damning claims about practices at the office vacated by Thuli Madonsela on Friday.

In her first briefing to MPs, Ms Mkhwebane said Ms Madonsela had squandered five million rand (£293,000) on consultants, including London-based PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PWC).