Ombudsman struggles to remain relevant
Tefo Pheage | Tuesday January 12, 2016 12:08
According to the Ombudsman’s latest annual report released last week, the highest number of complaints were from Defence, Justice and Security with 182 cases, or 34 percent, of a total of 532 new complaints recieved during 2012/13 year.
Most complaints from the defence ministry were about the Department of Administration of Justice on delayed trials and appeals, production of records and judgements among many others, says the report.
The report also says prisoner complaints also account for a sizeable number, most of which are about human rights issues such as loss of property or belongings, denied or delayed medical care even for citizen prisoners on ARV in certain isolated instances.
“Botswana Police Service complaints are also common, being those on allegation of unlawful or mistaken identity arrests, prolonged detentions beyond the legal 48 hours, torture and loss of detainee belongings,” the report says.
Accordinng to the Ombudsman report, the second highest number of complaints is from the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development: the bulk of which are complaints about tribal administration followed by local authorities.
“In the year under review, 27 percent of complaints in this ministry were on their administration of justice by the Department of Tribal Administration, delayed appeals and delayed court records. Regarding local authorities, most complaints recieved have been about staff welfare matters, tranfers, salary grading, training and related human resources issues. These personnel issues are similar to those recieved by the Ombudsman from the rest of the public service,” says Bakwena who is also former Director of Public Service Management. The Ombudsman remarks that they still decry the large number of public servants’ complaints, a concern that they have indicated ‘might have a bearing on low staff morale in the public service.
“It appears that this phenomenon is continuing, owing to below par administrative practices and non-adherence to principle of natural justice,” the report adds.
The Ombudsman says the Ministry of Trade and Industry continues to have the lowest number of complaints investigated by the Ombudsman office, followed by Youth Sport and Culture, Finance and Development Planning, the Office of the President and Labour and Home Affairs.