Essay
Ombudsman influence in public administration.
- Institution
- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
This document serves to assist in understanding the Ombudsman characteristics.
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By: kagishoseroka • 2 year ago
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Module code pub 3707Student name Tanyaradzwa P Madzimbamuto
Semester 02
Assignment 02
Unique assignment number : 680447
Date of submission : 4 September 2020
, Write a short essay on the general characteristics and the influence of the ombudsman in public
administration.
The Ombudsman can bring the lamp of scrutiny to otherwise dark places even over the resistance of
those who would draw the blinds. The Ombudsman is an independent institution with power to
examine governmental abuses affecting the members of the public. The office of Ombudsman is
originally meant ‘Representative’ of the public and at the same time, it operates as a watchdog
looking at the work of administrative law. The Ombudsman is a statutory creation because the
legislature has purposely limited the powers of the office of Ombudsman and not given wide
discretionary powers though it is impartial, and services are free and available to all. Investigations
conducted by the Ombudsman do not interfere with the normal process of government
administration, because the office operates informally. No public activity lies outside the scope of
the Ombudsman. According to Professor SK Agrawal, the term ombudsman refers only to institute,
which have three basic and unique characteristic which are as follows. Ombudsman refers only is an
independent and non-partisan officer of the legislature who supervise the administration. He deals
with specific complaints from the public against administrative injustice and maladministration. He
has the power to investigate, criticize and report back to the legislature, but not to reserve
administrative action. The Ombudsman is an office established via the Constitution or a special Act
of the Legislative Authority. The Office of the Ombudsman is given to an independent, objective and
highly respected functionary who is accountable to the legislative authority; receives complaints
from aggrieved persons against public institutions and public officials; or launches an investigation
on his/her own initiative; recommends corrective action and issues reports. Ombudsman also known
as the Public Protector.
The characteristics of the ombudsman.
The ombudsman is usually appointed by the legislative authority of the state. The ombudsman
usually receives complaints about maladministration in public institutions. The ombudsman is highly
accessible to prospective complainants, which means the ombudsman, is readily available to
members of the public. The ombudsman can make use of both formal and informal methods of
investigation. As a rule, the ombudsman makes use of informal methods because it makes it possible
for him/her to deal with a complaint quickly and cheaply. The ombudsman usually has free access to
information which is needed for an investigation. This implies access to any public documents that
may be relevant to an investigation. It is standard practice that no state department would be able
to refuse the ombudsman access to those documents or files. The ombudsman occupies a highly
respected and high-status office, because the recommendations of the ombudsman are not
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