Johannesburg - The public protector’s office is a gateway to justice, outgoing incumbent Thuli Madonsela told the Temple of Israel in Hillbrow as it celebrated its 80th anniversary on Saturday.
Madonsela and her team were invited to speak about justice and its effect on the people of the world and South Africa in particular.
The Jewish community also took time to remember one of their own - the late anti-apartheid icon and former chief justice Arthur Chaskalson.
Madonsela said the late Helen Suzman - another Jewish community member who had been the sole voice of justice in an apartheid government - had been among the iconic figures who resisted discrimination in all its forms.
She said while most Struggle icons had not been Jewish, they had certainly been influenced by religion to fight against all forms of injustice.
Madonsela’s term ends next month.
A number of eminent people have been short-listed and Parliament looks set to find a replacement soon.
During her speech, Madonsela advised the selectors of her replacement to afford the necessary respect and dignity to the Office of the Public Protector.
“Our freedom is at risk if you do not recognise the Office of the Public Protector - an important gateway to justice,” she said.
While many in the Temple of Israel might have expected Madonsela to rate as her greatest achievement her findings on the R247 million security upgrades at President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla home, the incident she chose was the least expected.
According to Madonsela, one of her greatest moments in her fight for justice took place on Friday.
“This was when me and the Deputy Public Protector (Advocate Kevin Malunga) and my team handed a cheque of R100 000 to Mr Skosana,” Madonsela said.
Skosana had worked for the then-Benoni City Council and was given a contract for R314 000 in 2000.
But the then-municipality, now part of the Ekurhuleni Metro Council, refused to pay him.
“In 2001, Skosana approached the Office of the Public Protector.
“The matter was dealt with and it was later closed due to lack of sufficient evidence.
“(Mr Skosana) did not lose hope. He reopened the file soon after I was appointed public protector.
“The file he had had necessary documentation to justify his claim, while the municipality had nothing to justify their failure to pay him.
“It was on that basis that we handed a cheque to him.
“We compiled a report and called it: The cost of disempowerment - A day of celebration’,” Madonsela said.
She said that the beauty of the event - albeit 15 years later - was that justice had been done and Skosana’s faith in the justice system, the public protector and South Africa’s constitutionalism has been restored.
Skosana’s first name could not be immediately confirmed.
Madonsela told how a number of other institutions had taken remedial action soon after her office began investigating them.
One was the Nala Local Municipality in the Free State.
Among the accusations against the municipality was that it installed toilets but did not enclose them - a flagrant abuse of human rights.
When the investigation started, the municipality took it upon itself to correct the injustices.
Madonsela then turned to the plight of Ms M, who became homeless and was later sequestrated because the Department of Education had failed to pay her after she had rendered services to it.
“Her business was sequestrated and she lost her home.
“She could not afford a lawyer, but our office managed to assist her,” Madonsela said.
She said her office and Ms M approached the director-general of education, who immediately agreed to pay her.
Madonsela said that the department also agreed to help Ms M fight a final liquidation order against her.
While Madonsela avoided speaking about Nkandla, her audience, who included the mayor of the City of Joburg, Parks Tau, applauded her for her work during her term of office, saying it had encouraged the nation to respect and protect integrity.
The Sunday Independent