Public Protector celebrates 25th year anniversary

Public Protector Adv. Busisiwe Mkhwebane will next week lead a webinar on the celebration of her office’s 25 years of existence.

 

She will be joined on the panel by the Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Thandi Modise, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Hon. Ronald Lamola, Deputy Public Protector, Adv. Kholeka Gcaleka, former Public Protector, Prof. Thuli Madonsela and former Deputy Public Protector Adv. Mamiki Goodman.

 

They will reflect on the institution’s achievements over the last quarter-century, focusing on its impact on public service delivery and good governance in all state affairs. They will also touch on the impact of the challenges that the institution has grappled with throughout its existence, which include under-resourcing and failure by some organs of state to give effect to its remedial action even when there is legal clarity on the status of such directives.

 

The panel will further discuss opportunities for the institution to build on the successes of the past 25 years to further live up to its constitutional mandate to strengthen constitution democracy. The Public Protector South Africa first opened its doors for service in October 1995, replacing the Office of the Ombudsman which had been established in 1991 in place of the Advocate-General of 1979 and similar institutions from the erstwhile homeland governments.

 

The office’s establishment followed the coming into force of the Public Protector Act 23 of 1994, which sought to give effect to the provisions of sections 110 to 114 in Chapter 8 of the Interim Constitution of 1993.

 

The final Constitution of 1996 re-established the institution under section 181 read with 182 under Chapter 9, with more powers.

 

The webinar will take place as follows: Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2020 Time: 11:00 – 13:00 Platform: YouTube (Public Protector South Africa)