Public Protector goes mobile
Themba Gadebe
5 October 2007
In a bid to make legal services more accessible, South Africa's Public Protector is piloting a Mobile Office in the Eastern Cape, catering especially for people in rural areas.
Public Protector Lawrence Mushwana, National Council of Provinces chairman Johannes Mahlangu and Eastern Cape Premier Nosimo Balindlela launched the project in Lusikisiki in the former Transkei on Tuesday.
"The mobile office pilot project is a means of bringing the services of the Public Protector closer to the people, especially those in far-flung areas of the country," the Public Protector said in a statement.
"With more funding, the project hopes to go to every rural area in the country."
The Public Protector has been visiting rural areas throughout the country to teach communities about the role of the office.
Mushwana celebrated Heritage Month in September with a community in Mpumalanga province, meeting with traditional leaders and community
members to explain the nature of his work.
He also conducted workshops in August to deal with the issue of delays in the payment of pension benefits to civil servants and their beneficiaries. The workshops were the culmination of a year-long investigation into reasons for these delays.
The Public Protector's office is established in terms of Chapter 9 of the Constitution of South Africa.
It seeks to strengthen the country's constitutional democracy through investigating maladministration, delays in service delivery, and allegations of impropriety or prejudice by public administration in any sphere of government.
The office of the Public Protector is approached as a last resort, after all other avenues to address a complaint have been exhausted.
Source: BuaNews
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