The website of City of Johannesburg’s ombudsman is up and running again after it was down for some months.
The office, under the acting watch of Dinkie Dube, recently announced that the website, www.joburgombudsman.org.za was reactivated on 26 June.
Dube said the reactivation of the website initiates the wider outreach programme that the office will soon start.
“Our mandate is to become the voice of the people in Johannesburg in representing their interests. Our goal is to ensure that we create platforms where the people of this city can have access to our services and also to make information available.”
The ombudsman is an independent office and residents’ last port of call to investigate and resolve service delivery and human rights issues. The office went through some changes after the ombudsman, Advocate S’de Gumede, was suspended in May. He has been locked in a legal battle with the City ever since.
Dube, who was appointed acting ombudsman on 18 May, said the office is resolving a lot more cases. In January, nine investigators were recruited and this enabled the office to resolve 209 complaints in the last quarter. The office currently receives an average of 30 new complaints each month. Dube expects this number to grow due to planned public awareness and education campaigns about the function of the office.
With a budget allocation of R52 million, Dube outlined the key priorities the office will address in the next financial year. The priority list includes awareness and education, automation of the office systems and breakthrough in investigations where service delivery fails.
Residents can visit the website for more information about the office and the steps residents can follow when they want to lodge a complaint. This includes forms that can be downloaded, access to the bylaws and contact details.
Details: Office of the Ombudsman on 010 288 2800, open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm, closed on weekends and public holidays. The website is currently being revamped.
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