Public Protector Thulisile Madonsela wants to collaborate with other oversight institutions to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks during investigations.

"We are working together in a multi-agency approach. We need to emerge with a process for managing overlaps and systematised collaboration between these oversight agencies," Madonsela said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria where a three-day conference on Public Protector Commonwealth Good Governance is being held, Madonsela said: "At times we have to do investigations together or lend each other resources."

The conference, where the roles of oversight agencies in promoting good governance was discussed, forms part of a broader campaign called the Public Protector Good Governance Week.

This campaign aims to enhance public awareness of offices' mandates, role and services. It was launched in Mamelodi on Monday.

Although there was low turnout from th community, a total of 15 complaints were laid on the spot.

Referring to the collaboration between institutions, Madonsela said the idea was to look at the statutory mandate and overlaps within all ten oversight institutions - such as the Independent Complaints Directorate, the Human Rights Commission and the Auditor General.

"We need to discuss how we manage ensure that we do not duplicate the work."

The mandate for oversight agencies goes beyond just being reactive to each complainant or incident of bad governance and maladministration.

In their own different roles, these institutions had the responsibility of systematically promoting good governance, said Madonsela, adding that the Public Protector had the capacity to do that.

"Half the time when there is bad service it's because there's governance there....and when there is corruption it's because there is a breakdown of rules and procedures," she said.