Public Protector Thuli Madonsela is to embark on a nationwide “road show” this week, aimed at getting feedback on her work and enhancing relations with organs of state, civil society and political parties.
Her spokesperson Kgalalelo Masibi said on Sunday: “The Public Protector has often raised concerns about the remedial action that is ignored by some organs of state, who dispute the findings of her investigations, leaving complainants in a state of despair.
“This process will therefore seek to highlight the plight of complainants whose livelihoods are negatively affected by such actions that deal a blow to their rights to just administrative action,” Masibi said in a statement.
Madonsela’s two-month’s programme would allow her to hold meetings with stakeholders about remedial action and administrative justice, he said.
The stakeholder consultative forums are to be launched on July 12 at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria after a panel discussion session that would be attended by, among others, academics, heads of chapter nine Institutions, civil society leaders and commentators.
Madonsela was then expected to two days in each province speaking with interest groups and the public.
Fears for life
Meanwhile, the Sunday Times reported that while Madonsela feared for her life, she would not shy away from “clawing back” public funds spent irregularly.
“I believe I can make a difference in clawing back some of the resources that are being lost at the moment in the way that tenders are managed,” she told the publication.
“What people don’t understand is that complaints against the government will always be primarily against those that are governing. At national level, the key players would be from the ruling party, so it’s not that I’m targetting them.”
Madonsela said she had written to Speaker of Parliament Max Sisulu to follow up on her request for bodyguards.
“I have asked that he follow up on that request. There are concerns now about my security.”
She said her predecessors, Selby Baqwa and Lawrence Mushwana, were given protection.
Madonsela was due to address a media conference on July 6 to deliver an update on several investigations, including the key probe into the police headquarters leasing scandal.
Her report on the Pretoria lease and her leaked draft report on the Durban lease — both involving property mogul Roux Shabangu and inflated rates — came down hard on police National Commissioner Bheki Cele.
Madonsela swept aside the police boss’s protestations that he was not in direct control of the procurement process and laid ultimate responsibility at his door.
But on Wednesday, the script changed when Independent Newspapers published a dramatic claim that the police were poised to arrest Madonsela on fraud and corruption charges.
The story was written by senior editor Jovial Rantao, who has previously reported on leaks from crime intelligence, notably concerning the Selebi investigation.
Citing unnamed sources and undisclosed documentation, Rantao claimed that, although Madonsela was a commissioner of the South African Legal Reform Commission, a company that she owned did work worth R1.8-million for the commission.
Later it published a document, with the names of the investigating officers and the case number blanked out, saying it was proof of an official police investigation against Madonsela.
Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa denied any knowledge of a pending investigation or plans to arrest her. – Sapa and Staff reporter