Ombudsman Drafts Code for Public Servants

Luqman Cloete

22 June 2011

Ombudsman John Walters has urged government and parastatal officials to render effective and quality customer service at all times. Walters made the call while addressing public servants on the role of the Ombudsman at Keetmanshoop yesterday.

Walters revealed that in 2009 36 per cent out of 1 000 complaints filed with the Ombudsman office were ruled in favour of the complainant.

He said a lack of resources and experience at some government institutions also led to ineffective customer service.

He singled out Home Affairs Ministry as one of the government agencies struggling to render quality service delivery due to alleged staff shortages.

According to Walters, recent complaints lodged with the office of the Ombudsman includes overdue pension payments, unethical behaviour on part of public servants, court trial delays and assault and loss of property of inmates in prisons and police holding cells.

The Ombudsman also revealed that his office was at work to draft a code of conduct for public servants and to have a law amended that will only authorise High Court judges to grant an execution of property order against debt defaulters.

“Those already poor are losing property, especially houses, due to default debt payments. If the execution of property is limited to judges only, they can perhaps look at the merits before granting such an order,” said Walters.

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