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The Public Protector, Advocate Mushwana
The Regional Representative of the Public Protector, Advocate N Mukhevhu
The Premier of the Limpopo Province
Cabinet Ministers present
Members of the Provincial Executive Council
Members of the Legal Fraternity
The Business Community
Esteemed Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen

Advocate Mushwana, let me start by congratulating you on your appointment as Public Protector of the Republic of South Africa. The position of Public Protector, as I am sure you have already discovered, is not an easy one. I have no doubt, however, that you are more than up to the task.

I have since Wednesday spent some time with the people of the Limpopo province, and it has been a wonderful and rewarding experience.

I have heard their concerns as well as their suggestions on areas where we can improve the delivery of services to them.

Throughout this entire Imbizo Focus week, we have taken government to the people, and Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Premiers and MECs have been deployed all over the country to listen to the people and respond to what they say.

We are proud of our system of governance, as it enables direct contact between the people and government, and takes government, as well as institutions of democracy, to the people.

The notion of an open and transparent system of governance is articulated eloquently in our Constitution. Chapter Nine provides for the establishment of independent institutions, which are responsible for protecting the rights of citizens. One of these institutions is that of the Public Protector.

As you would be aware, the Public Protector operates independently of government or political parties, and is appointed by Parliament in terms of the Constitution.

The Public Protector plays a key role in strengthening democracy by enhancing fairness and efficiency in the provision of government services.

This important institution plays the key role of watchdog in public administration, playing the critical role of enhancing the accountability of government agencies and personnel.

Given this vital service provided to the citizens, it is important that the office of the Public Protector becomes easily accessible, as required by the Constitution.

The establishment of regional offices therefore forms part of the mandate and we commend Advocate Mushwana and his predecessor Adv Selby Baqwa for fulfilling this responsibility.

We are aware that new offices were established in the Northern Cape and Free State last year, and that with the opening of this office, each of the nine Provinces would have their own office of the Public Protector.

This will make a remarkable difference as it will be easier for people to lodge complaints, and investigators will also not have to travel long distances to carry out their work.

Ladies and gentlemen, this institution is one of the shining examples of the fruits of our freedom. It is indeed a liberating experience for ordinary South Africans to be able to receive this type of service, which protects their right to be treated fairly and justly.

The Public Protector as an institution therefore needs to make its work widely known, especially by the poorest of the poor, so that they may gain from it. It should not only be used by privileged citizens who have access to communication resources. We would like to see the Public Protector dealing more and more with complaints raised by ordinary people rather than the office being used by political parties to complain about each other in order to make political mileage.

Ladies and gentlemen, I am also pleased with the launch of this office because I see a key role for the Public Protector as an institution in the Moral Regeneration campaign.

The Office seeks to promote the rights and values entrenched in our Constitution. These values, including respect for the next person regardless of their station in life, are what we are promoting through the Moral Regeneration campaign, and through programmes such as the Batho Pele client care programme in the public service.

We urge our public servants to honour the Constitution and institutions such as this one, by executing their duties with courtesy, accountability, efficiency, empathy and effectiveness. This will reduce the numbers of complaints against public servants, and make citizens participate positively in governance.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are indeed confident that this new Office will make a difference in the lives of the people of this province, and provide them with an avenue for improving the manner in which government and public officials deliver services to them.

I wish the Public Protector and his staff in this province well in all the challenges that lie ahead.

I thank you!

Issued by The Presidency

4 April 2003