Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela was on Tuesday night bestowed with a Paul Harris Fellows award by the Rotary Club of Johannesburg on behalf of Rotary International, a global body of rotary clubs.
Named after the founder of the rotary, Paul Harris, the award is the highest honour that the rotary can bestow on an individual.
According to the President of the Rotary Club of Johannesburg, Mike Moriarty, the accolade is awarded to individuals, who have made an outstanding contribution to society.
Receiving the award, the Public Protector said she and her team were humbled by the unwavering public support. “It tells us that the people of South Africa approve of our efforts in protecting them against excesses in the exercise of public power,” she said.
This was the second award the Public Protector received in a period of five days after she scooped the Mail and Guardian Drivers of Change Award last Thursday in recognition of the good work her office continues to do.
Speaking at the Club earlier last night, the Public Protector lauded Rotarians for their contribution to the development of communities, which includes the building of crèches, a school and a health care clinic for needy communities in and around Johannesburg.
Quoting former President Nelson Mandela on the spirit of ubuntu, the Public Protector said the humanitarian acts of the Rotary Club were in line with the time-tested African value of ubuntu.
She said new business people, particularly those who continued to benefit from transformative state policies such as the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment had to be encouraged to donate to charity willingly.
Instead of blowing obscene amounts of money on lavish birthday parties and related social events, the Public Protector said such business people could build schools and hospitals or donate much needed equipment to such institutions.
In response to the question, what does protecting the public means, the theme of her speech, the Public Protector stated that the view of her team was that she protects the public through exacting accountability in the exercise of public power.
She further maintained that the her role in supporting and strengthening constitutional democracy through exacting accountability in the exercise of public power must contribute to the realisation of good governance, human rights and the freedom promised in the Constitution.
For more information, contact:
Kgalalelo Masibi
Senior Manager: Outreach, Education and Communication
Public Protector South Africa
Tel: 012 366 7006
Cell: 079 507 0399
E-mail: kgalalelom@pprotect.org
