Note to Editors: Please find attached English and Afrikaans soundbites by Cllr Dirk Kotze and Sesotho soundbite by Cllr Kabelo Moreeng.
– DA welcomes Mangaung Ombudsman progress toward accountability.
– DA monitors implementation to ensure true independence.
– Independent Ombudsman strengthens governance and protects residents.
The DA welcomes the Mangaung Metropolitan Council’s approval of the Terms of Reference for the Office of the Ombudsman. This is a significant step towards strengthening accountability and restoring public confidence in a municipality that has, for too long, been plagued by poor governance, maladministration, and collapsing service delivery.
For years, the DA has called for the establishment of an independent Municipal Ombudsman to provide residents with a credible institution where complaints can be investigated fairly, professionally and without political interference. Council has now laid the foundation. The real test, however, is whether the administration has the political will to make that independence a reality.
The DA will monitor the Office’s implementation closely and hold the administration accountable by submitting questions to the City Manager, Mr Sello More, on when the Ombudsman will operate from independent premises, receive a dedicated and protected budget, appoint additional qualified investigators and support staff, secure adequate protection for Ombudsman staff and whistle-blowers, and function free from political and administrative interference.
An Ombudsman without genuine independence is simply another municipal office.
The DA remains seriously concerned that several critical issues, essential to the credibility and effectiveness of the Office, remain unresolved.
The Office of the Ombudsman must operate from premises that are physically separate from the municipal administration. Residents, municipal employees and whistle-blowers must have complete confidence that they can report maladministration, corruption and service delivery failures without fear of intimidation or their information being compromised.
Equally important is the safety and protection of Ombudsman staff and investigators. Those tasked with investigating allegations against municipal officials or politically connected individuals must be protected against intimidation, harassment and interference. Robust physical security, secure information systems and comprehensive whistle-blower protection measures are not optional; they are fundamental to the integrity of the institution.
The DA is equally concerned about the financial independence of the Office. A truly independent Ombudsman cannot be expected to operate effectively without a dedicated and protected budget under its own budget vote. The Office must have sufficient funding to appoint qualified investigators, employ professional support staff, secure independent office accommodation, invest in information security and carry out investigations without relying on the very administration it may be required to investigate.
The municipality must also move without delay to appoint a permanent Municipal Ombudsman through an open, transparent and merit-based recruitment process. An institution established to promote accountability must itself be beyond reproach.
The approval of the Terms of Reference marks the end of one chapter, but it is only the beginning of the work required to establish a credible Office of the Ombudsman.
Residents deserve more than another department within an already dysfunctional municipality. They deserve an Ombudsman who can investigate without fear, act without favour and hold the municipality accountable without interference.
The DA remains committed to ensuring that the Office of the Ombudsman becomes a truly independent institution that strengthens good governance, protects residents and restores confidence in local government, and we urge Mangaung residents to help protect the Office by registering and voting for the DA on 4 November.