High profile cases a fraction of the Public Protector’s workload

Friday, 24 June 2011

High profile matters that the Public Protector deals with make up just a fraction of the institution’s caseload, communities in Gamalakhe township near Port Shepstone, KwaZulu-Natal heard on Friday.

Addressing locals as part of youth month commemorations, Deputy Public Protector Adv Mamiki Shai said an impression had been created that her office only tackles investigations involving high ranking public servants.

Contrary to popular belief, she said, the majority of cases the institution handles involves issues affecting ordinary people. These included problems with the processing of applications for identity documents, social grants, appeals and low cost houses.

“Of the 16 000 cases we deal with annually, only about ten percent involve high profile figures,” she told locals, who braved cold and wet weather conditions to attend the event.

Adv Shai called on community members with service delivery problems to make use of her office, adding that they should spread the word about the existence of the Public Protector.

She said the institution was there to ensure that organs of state do not trample over people’s human rights. By so doing, Adv Shai added, the institution was ensuring that the democracy fought for by young people, among others, is strengthened.

She said the institution would continue taking its services to remote communities in a bid to raise awareness about its existence, role and services with the aim of reaching more people.

For more information, contact:

Senior Manager: Outreach, Education and Communications
Public Protector South Africa
Tel: (012) 366 7069
Cell: 079 507 0399
Email: kgalalelom@pprotect.org
www.publicprotector.org