City celebrates World Ombudsman Day
12 October 2023
The City’s Ombudsman’s office plays an instrumental role in ensuring complaints from members of the public against the City are resolved in a manner that is fair, impartial, objective, transparent, accountable and in line with the objectives of the South African Constitution. In celebration of World Ombudsman Day today, 12 October 2023, the City hosted an event with guest speakers including the Acting Public Protector, Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka and others.
City Ombudsman, Vusumzi Magwebu, was joined by members of the public, Acting Public Protector Advocate Kholeka Gcaleka, Western Cape Police Ombudsman, General Oswald Reddy, Director of the Office of the Consumer Protector in the Western Cape, Advocate Ashley Searle in celebration of World Ombudsman day in Athlone.
‘This year, under the theme Ombuds: Diverse in Role, United in Service we reflected on the important role of an Ombud in various organisations, and we also used the opportunity to educate and raise awareness about the profession. The City and a number of industry regulatory bodies also hosted information tables, which advised and assisted with lodging of complaints.
‘In the City, we have been doing lots of work in ensuring that our services are accessible to as many residents as possible, and since the launch of our SMS service last year, we have seen many more residents making use of our services. We will continue to drive inclusivity and we ask residents to reach out to us via the various complaint channels available to members of the public,’ said the City’s ombudsman, Magwebu.
How to lodge a complaint with the Ombudsman
Once a complaint form has been completed, it can be sent by post or delivered to:
The Ombudsman
Third floor
Tower Block
Cape Town Civic Centre
12 Hertzog Boulevard
8001
Cape Town
Alternatively, the complaint form can be emailed to ombudsdirect@capetown.gov.za or faxed to 021 400 5952.
Please always describe a complaint in detail, including the name/s of the official/s involved, what happened and any relevant dates and times. Please always include any relevant documentation or evidence. The Ombudsman’s Office will assess the complaint to determine whether the office can assist or whether to direct the complainant to the appropriate department or institution.
The office follows the Ombudsman By-law (2015). It functions with independence, credibility and impartiality. It is against the law and the South African Constitution to interfere in the business, powers and functions of this office. The City encourages members of the public to approach the Ombudsman once they have exhausted the required channels.
There are many City complaint channels available to members of the public, depending on the nature of the complaint.
The Ombudsman does not investigate the following complaints, as there are other complaint channels for these:
• any legislative or executive decisions by the Council, any of its portfolio committees or subcouncils;
• any matter involving an allegation of fraud, corruption or corporate crime as referred to in the City’s Fraud Prevention Policy;
• any matter or dispute which must be dealt with or settled within the field of labour law;
• any allegation relating to financial irregularities;
• any cases where the complainant has not reported the matter to the line department as first port of call;
• any alleged irregular conduct of a councillor;
• any complaint which is vexatious or frivolous;
• any tender-related matter; and
• administrative appeals.
Contact for assistance/information
• SMS 44781
• Call Centre: 021 400 1701 and 021 400 9441 (Monday to Friday (except public holidays) between 10:00 and 14:30
• Email: ombudsdirect@capetown.gov.za
• For more information, please visit: http://www.capetown.gov.za/City-Connect/Report/Lodge-a-formal-complaint/Lodge-a-complaint
End
Published by:
City of Cape Town, Media Office
