Public Protector concludes stakeholder
consultative process in Glenmore, Mpumalanga
31 March 2010
Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela wrapped up her
seven-week provincial stakeholder consultations in
Mpumalanga today, where residents of Glenmore village near
Carolina raised their frustrations about service delivery.
One of the key concerns raised was the issue of land
distribution to facilitate subsistence farming in tribal
authorities and time recovery plan for learners
particularly, matriculants who will lose a month during the
2010 FIFA World Cup and a shortage of teachers.
Another burning issue was the issue of undocumented children
of illegal immigrants that have been in the country for a
long time, who can’t get birth certificates, identity
documents and matric certificates. Residents also complained
about lack of medicines in the clinics; inadequate number of
policemen and police vehicles; slow pace of delivery on low
cost housing; social grants; and unemployment.
In her address, Adv Madonsela told the community members
that among the measures her office aimed use to ensure a
responsive public administration in the new fiscal year are
to exhaust all the powers given by the Constitution, such as
mediating, conciliating and negotiating instead of just
investigating.
“I commit my office to resolve your complaints speedily and
ensure remedial or corrective action for all administrative
wrongs by public authorities. Never again shall you wait for
a year to be told what is delaying your pension payout,
identity document or any other service. We will use our
power to subpoena and charge uncooperative public officials
for contempt of the Public Protector if need be,” she said.
Representatives of public authorities, in the area including
Inkosi VJ Nhlapo Local, councilors Pat Magagula and Petrus
Soko, reported on progress on most of the concerns raised
and promised to follow up on other concerns.
Yesterday Adv Madonsela met with various interest groups
including representatives from government, Chapter 9
Institutions, the media and delegates of civil society in
Nelspruit.
She told stakeholders that the most prevalent complaints
received by her office in the province related to delays in
the processing of applications for identity documents,
various types of social grants, houses and general service
delivery issues.
Adv Madonsela added that a team of investigators from her
office was making progress regarding the probe into
allegations of maladministration at Dipaleseng Local
Municipality, adding that the outcome would be made public
once the investigation is concluded.
The investigation followed complaints of irregular awarding
of tenders, among other things, leveled against the
municipality by interest groups when Adv Madonsela visited
Siyathemba Township in Balfour after service delivery
unrests in the area.
Speaking on behalf of Premier David Mabuza, Public Works MEC
Clifford Mkasi committed the provincial administration to
cooperate and assist the Public Protector during
investigations and also to market the institution to
citizens.
Mpumalanga was the last province the Public Protector
visited since kick-starting the nationwide consultations in
Alexandra, Gauteng early in February. A national stakeholder
forum was also held in Pretoria, earlier this week.
The aim of these meetings were, among other things, to
engage stakeholders on the Public Protector’s proposed
Vision 2020, establish stakeholder expectations regarding
the services of the Public Protector and discuss cooperation
to improve the responsiveness of the Public Protector to
complaints.
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