Public Protector warns against turning a
blind eye on bad governance
Monday, 24 October 2011
Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela has warned villagers in
KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga against turning a blind eye on bad
governance including corruption, saying this was the reason
government service points such as hospitals had little or no
equipment.
Addressing residents at Vezubuhle Community Hall on Friday,
the Public Protector said South Africa was a rich country
with resources that were enough to improve people’s living
conditions if well-managed.
“One of you has just complained that there are no scanners
at KwaMhlanga Hospital despite the many accidents that
happen now and then along Moloto Road and that generally,
there are poor services at hospitals,” she said.
“If you can work with the Public Protector and other agents
of change, we can claw back all of the money that is wasted
or stolen from public coffers. You are the victims of bad
governance and so, it does not help you to protect those
that are corrupt.”
“It is not that you hate the system or your organ of state
or people in it when you report corruption. If you turn a
blind eye, it will get worse and before we know it there
will be no resources for the much needed basic services.”
Noting that her visit to the village coincided with the
Whistleblower Week, she urged residents not to worry about
being victimised when reporting suspected acts of corruption
as they would be protected by the Protected Disclosures Act,
among others.
The Public Protector’s statements followed complaints, which
included that people who sustained serious injuries from
road accidents occurring along the nearby Moloto Road often
lost their lives due to lack of necessary equipment such as
scanners at KwaMhlanga Hospital.
Speaking at the meeting, a concerned resident said the lack
of alternative modes of transport to “expensive taxis and
dangerous buses” worsened the problem. “This is despite the
fact that there is a long standing proposed project for a
train service here for which a feasibility study was done a
long time ago,” he said.
Another member of the community complained that an amount of
R80 million allegedly reported by the Auditor General to
have been unaccounted for by the Thembisile Hani
Municipality remained unaccounted for. He also called for a
review of Putco’s contract, saying the bus operator’s fleet
was often overloaded, posing a danger to commuters.
Other complaints related to a police station-building
project that was “taking years to be completed”, victims of
road accidents who were yet to be compensated by the Road
Accident Fund, matric exam fraud, chieftaincy disputes,
inadequate facilities in schools, accessibility of the
Public Protector’s office and social housing.
Responding to the complaints, the Public Protector promised
to work closely with individual complainants to look into
all matters raised and also to engage the relevant organs of
state in a quest to find answers to the people’s grievances.
The meeting, which was preceded by an interaction with
iNkosi Manala Makinari and his council, formed part of the
Public Protector Good Governance Week. The Week seeks to
promote good governance in the conduct of state affairs
while enhancing accessibility to the Public Protector
services.
Issued by the Public Protector South Africa. For more
information, contact:
Oupa Segalwe
Manager: Outreach, Education and Communication
Public Protector South Africa
Tel: 012 366 7035
Cell: 072 264 3273
Email:
oupas@pprotect.org
Website:
www.publicprotector.org
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