Public Protector to do spot checks at government service points

The leadership of Public Protector South Africa will wrap up the Good Governance Week with unannounced visits at government service points throughout the country on Friday, 15 October 2010.

Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela will be in Cape Town and Deputy Public Protector Adv Mamiki Shai will be in Johannesburg while provincial heads will do spot checks in their localities. Details of the main activities will be availed to the media on Thursday, 14 October 2010.

During the visits, the Public Protector South Africa leadership will interact with management and members of the public separately. This is in an effort to market the services of the Public Protector and promote good governance in all state affairs.

Meanwhile, the three day Good Governance Conference entered its second day on Wednesday with presentations on the state of various oversight agencies such as Public Protector SA, Auditor General South Africa, the SA Human Rights Commission, the Independent Electoral Commission, Standing Committee on Public Accounts, Commission on Gender Equality and the Special Investigations Unit, among others. There was also an international presentation on Promoting Good Governance and combating corruption in Africa by United Kingdom based Professor Victor Ayeni.

Speaking during the conference, the Public Protector highlighted the need for the overlapping mandates of oversight agencies in South Africa, including her office, to be better managed for optimal impact on good governance.

She said there was a need for a systemised collaboration between such agencies to leverage each other’s mandates and optimise resource utilisation. “Consideration should be given to the development of a good governance charter and a multi-agency framework for cooperation among oversight agencies,” the Public Protector said.

Organised in collaboration with the Commonwealth, the conference has brought under one roof South African oversight agencies and the academia, among others. It aims to emerge with a common vision of good governance and an understanding of the mandate and role of each of the oversight agencies.

Issued by Public Protector South Africa. For more information contact:

Oupa Segalwe
Manager: Outreach, Education and Communications
Public Protector South Africa
072 264 3273
012 366 7035
oupas@pprotect.org