It is my honour this morning to address this august gathering and deliver a message of support to the new Public Protector Ms Busisiwe Mkhwebane who we have the distinct honour of having in our midst. On behalf of the Provincial Government and the people of the Northern Cape we congratulate you on your appointment to this very important position. The seat I can imagine must be very hot and you can be assured of our support and cooperation at all times. 
Former President Nelson Mandela explained the thinking behind the creation of the Public Protector to the Africa Regional Workshop of the International Ombudsman Institution in 1996, as follows:

"We were mindful from the very start of the importance of accountability to democracy. Our experience had made us acutely aware of the possible dangers of a government that is neither transparent nor accountable. To this end our Constitution contains several mechanisms to ensure that government will not be part of the problem; but part of the solution.

Public awareness and participation in maintaining efficiency in government within the context of human rights are vital to making a reality of democracy. Many South Africans can still recall a time when the face of the Public Service was hostile, and a complaint could lead to victimisation or harassment; when access to justice seemed an unrealistic dream. In the new South Africa the face of the Public Service is changing radically.
However, we are not yet out of the woods; much still needs to be done in terms of transformation. In this sense, therefore, our Public Protector's Office is not only a critical instrument for good governance. It also occupies a central place in the transformation of the public service by, among other means, rooting out the arrogance, secrecy and corruption so rampant during the apartheid years."

This still remains true and relevant today.
The Office of the Public Protector and all other Chapter Nine Institutions have been created exactly because we knew that the realisation of objectives such as the five nation priorities articulated by President Zuma: Education, Health, Job Creation, Rural Development and Fighting Crime and Corruption as well as our National Development Plan 2030 will be so much more difficult to achieve if there are corrupt staff and administrators who has only at heart the advancement of their own interests and wealth and in the process neglect our people we need services and are entitled to it.
Our National Development Plan 2030 makes the important point that, “Political will is essential to combat this scourge. Political will is measured by assessing the amount of money spent fighting corruption, the legal arsenal that corruption-busting institutions have at their disposal, the independence of anti-corruption authorities from political interference and the consistency with which the law is applied.”

There is indeed a formidable arsenal of legislation that corruption-busting institutions have at their disposal and our institution enjoy protection, respect and independence.
However, having said this, I must also add in the often incorrectly quote words of Amilcar Cabral that we must, “Hide nothing from the masses of our people. Tell no lies. Expose lies whenever they are told. Mask no difficulties, mistakes, failures. Claim no easy victories . . .”
We must say therefore, that the fight against corruption is very far from won and that we are not yet able to claim that we have done all that we can as best we can.
The National Development Plan 2030 highlights what I believe are essential matters for guiding us in how we conduct ourselves and the business of Government.
“In addition to political will, corruption has to be fought on three fronts: deterrence, prevention and education. Deterrence helps people understand that they are likely to get caught and punished. Prevention is about systems (information, audit and so) that make it hard to engage in corrupt acts.  The social dimensions of corruption need to be tackled by focusing on values, through education.

So Public Protector we support you, your office and the valuable work you are doing.
And would like to continue being supportive by engaging in constructive criticism.

 I thank you.