Public Protector is not enemy of govt

The Office of the Public Protector is not an enemy of the government, it said on Friday.

 

"We are not here to govern on their behalf or usurp their roles," Deputy Public Protector Kevin Malunga was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the office.

"We are just here to unblock the bottlenecks to ensure that anything that undermines government programmes and constitutional democracy is dealt with," he added.

Malunga saw the public protector's office as "more of a friend of government rather than a foe".

"Both the Public Protector and the government want... the same things."

Malunga said the two bodies both wanted constitutional rights to be upheld and realised through government programmes.

He said the state officials not co-operating with public protector investigations were "just a drop in the ocean" and usually not related to key concerns.

On Friday, Malunga spoke in Mahikeng in the North West as part of a series of meetings the protector's office was holding to engage with the public.

 

 

(File photo: Gallo Images)