Programme director
Deputy Public Protector, Advocate Mamiki Shai
Chief Executive Officer, Themba Mthethwa
Councillors
Members of the media
Ladies and gentlemen
I would like to extend my warmest greetings to all the people of Galeshewe and neighbouring areas. I sincerely appreciate the fact that you have responded to our invite in the matter that you have. I want all of you to know that your presence here means a lot to me and that, as one of the Public Protector's most valuable stakeholders, I'm truly grateful for the opportunity to interact face to face with you.
I am here firstly to introduce myself to you as the newly appointed Public Protector and to ask for your comments and inputs in our vision for the next ten years, which we call the Public Protector vision 2020.
Other important objectives of this exercise are to build public trust and good relations as well as establish what your expectations are regarding services rendered by the Public Protector.
But as we go along, one may pose questions to say: Who is this Public Protector, who does she protect the public from, how does she do all that and why?
The Public Protector is one of the institutions established in terms of chapter nine of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. This institution receives and resolves complaints from the public that have to do with the conduct and services by public entities. The Public Protector has the power to investigate, mediate, negotiate, conciliate and take remedial action to ensure that all state components are accountable and responsive to the needs of all.
I also deal with complaints regarding alleged or suspected corruption or graft and failure on the part of state actors to obey the law and any applicable prescripts. In short, the Public Protector harbours the aspirations of all persons who look up to the state for the provision of basic services and expect a good administration of public funds and assets.
As the Public Protector, I'm independent of government and political parties and therefore carry out my responsibilities impartially without fear, favour or prejudice. While I receive complaints from the public, I am not really an attorney for you. I am merely more like a referee, who scrutinises both sides of the problem to ensure accountable and fair governance by the state. All this we, together with other chapter nine institutions, do to support our constitutional democracy.
As it is, many of you cannot afford the services of private attorneys to take government to task if it disregards your rights. I am therefore here to make you aware of the Public Protector's free services that have, to date, brought back smiles to many people’s faces.
We have helped many people, who experienced undue delays in the processing of the applications for housing, identity documents and social grants among others. If you or somebody you know is battling with similar problems, all that you need to do is visit our offices, attend events such as this one, call our toll free line 0800 112 040 or write to us. We will strive to resolve the problem within the shortest time possible.
Even today, you have an opportunity to lodge your complaint against government or report any wrong doing at one of our stalls at the back of this hall. Our investigators are ready and waiting to take your complaints.
We are aware that accessibility to the Public Protector here, like in other provinces, is a challenge. However, we continue to put more effort to try and reach out to all persons in this province. For example, my office here holds six events like this one in different areas of the province every month to try and reach as many communities as possible.
Programme director,
Geographically, the Northern Cape is the biggest province in the country with ironically the smallest population. However, communities in this province are scattered, making it quite difficult to reach them.
For example, for our Kimberley office to reach communities in Calvinia and Springbok, we have to cover a distance of about 800 kilometres for just a single trip. Even though, we do conduct clinics in such areas, this distance puts these communities at a disadvantage. This challenge is receiving our undivided attention.
Ladies and gentlemen, I would really be grateful to get your feedback on the Public Protector Vision 2020 I referred to earlier. It reads as follows:
Vision
A trusted, effective and accessible Public Protector that rights wrongs and consistently acts with integrity to ensure fair, accountable and responsive decision making, service and good governance in all state affairs and public administration in any sphere of government.
Mission
We serve the public in accordance with our constitutional mandate by rectifying and redressing any improper or prejudicial conduct in state affairs and resolving related disputes through mediation, conciliation, negotiation and other measures to ensure fair, responsive and accountable public sector decision-making and service delivery.
Values
- Independence and impartiality
- Human dignity
- Equality
- Ubuntu and empathy
- Redress
- Accountability
- Integrity
- Responsiveness
- Transparency and
- Justice and fairness.
In addition, we are guided by three main pillars namely accountability, integrity and responsiveness. We have also proposed strategic objectives for the next three years as the mechanism for ensuring, among others, that there is prompt remedial action for all wrongs committed by public authorities and that good governance generally is achieved in the conduct of all state affairs.
In conclusion, let me express my gratitude again for your response. I trust that through our discussions, a lot of positives will be yielded so that we realise the ideal of an accountable and responsive public administration.
Thank you.
Source: Public Protector South Africa
