25 Feb 2018

The Ombudsman, Mr Augustine Makgonatsotlhe has commended employees of the Office of the Ombudsman for their commitment and hard work, which he said has contributed immensely to the efforts of the office to deliver on its mandate.

Mr Makgonatsotlhe, who was speaking at the excellence awards ceremony for the Office of the Ombudsman recently, said as a result of such hard work, the office had experienced some notable improvements in service delivery especially in case resolution.

He said although all employees of the office had excelled in the discharge of their duties, the awards were as such a way of recognising and rewarding those employees who had gone an extra mile, that being a way of encouraging them to continue giving the execution of their duties their best shot.

Mr Makgonatsotlhe said the awards were held to recognise high performing employees for their positive achievements and sustained contributions to the office, as well as to support a culture of performance excellence.

The other objectives of the awards, he said, were to promote employee retention and growth and to encourage positive employee morale and team work.

Emphasising on team work, the Ombudsman thanked even those who did not receive awards, saying their contribution to the work of the office could not be ignored.

“We have each, in our individual assignments, contributed to making this office what it is. The purpose of this ceremony therefore, is not to say that someone failed to deliver, but that among the many excellent contributors, there are those who stood out,” he noted.

Mr Makgonatsotlhe also used the opportunity to talk about the mandate of the Office of the Ombudsman, saying according to the Ombudsman Act, the office received complaints against government institutions, officials and employees from aggrieved persons. He said the office had the authority to investigate, recommend corrective action and issue reports. Mr Makgonatsotlhe however stated that the Ombudsman had no authority to enforce recommendations, but that the office could only investigate and make recommendations.

Earlier in her welcome remarks, acting chief legal investigator, Ms Tebogo Mapodisi said the 2017/18 financial year had been a tremendous year filled with individual and corporate excellence. For her part, Secretary for Defence, Justice and Security, Ms Matshidiso Bokole implored employees of the Office of the Ombudsman to continue working hard even when there was little or no appreciation for the work they were doing. Ends