The Public Protector will launch an investigation into service-delivery protests, he announced on Thursday.
Advocate Lawrence Mushwana said the investigation will focus on specific municipalities and will try to establish if public-service protesters have legitimate complaints.
”We have received numerous informal complaints about service delivery and have noticed an increase in the number of community protests concerning municipal service delivery,” he said.
There are four specific municipalities in four provinces that he will check on. He will speak to all the stakeholders in those areas.
”Obviously there are individuals or organisers who organise these marches; it is not as spontaneous as all that,” he said.
He would not say which areas the investigation will focus on.
Mushwana did, however, say that the public will be invited to give their say on the issues.
”The complaints are varied, numerous and differ from municipality to municipality,” he said.
”While law-enforcement agencies are doing their best to calm the situation and in essence trying to normalise the situation, it does seem something more still needs to be done,” he added. — Sapa