In this sense, therefore, our Public Protector's Office is not only a critical instrument for good governance. It also occupies a central place in the transformation of the public service by, among other means, rooting out the arrogance, secrecy and corruption so rampant during the apartheid years. One current instance of this is the decision by our Ministry of Justice to assist in rooting out the problem of disappearance of dockets and other forms of corruption in the criminal justice system, a scourge which has hampered the campaign against crime. As such, we have come to appreciate that the Public Protector may require much more resources than we had originally envisaged. People must be encouraged to speak out against maladministration with the surety that their complaints will be taken seriously and in confidence.
Every citizen needs to be familiar with their obligations and duties.
They must be able to claim the right to be treated justly, promptly and courteously, and to claim their due under the law. Only then will we be able to ensure that government is dedicated to public service and a culture of efficiency and transparency. This gathering then is both a celebration of the empowerment of ordinary citizens, and an exercise in further empowering their agents for good government. Every one of you here today is entrusted with the very important task of serving the citizens of your countries with diligence. It is thus incumbent upon you to expose every wrong you find committed in the public administration, without fear or favour.