Essay
Ombudsman influence in public administration.
- Institution
- University Of South Africa (Unisa)
This document serves to assist in understanding the Ombudsman characteristics.
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
1 review
By: kagishoseroka • 2 year ago
Content preview
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
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through EFT, credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying this summary from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller tanyaprude. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy this summary for R143,00. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
73216 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy summaries for 14 years now