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Public Protector Adv Thuli Madonsela has called on interested persons and formations from both public and private sectors to submit their written comments on the Rules she launched last Wednesday to her office by January 2011.

The Rules were published in the Government Gazette for comments yesterday and will close for comments on Wednesday, 29 December 2010. However, seeing that the period for comments coincides with the busy festive season, the Public Protector encouraged persons that may require an extension for comments to do so before the closing date.

The Rules seek expedite the resolution of complaints, by the Public , by facilitating cooperation in investigations and implementation of Public Protector reports by organs of state through standardising matters such as timelines, subpoenas, search and seizures, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, Contempt of the Public Protector Orders and related fines.

They will also outline procedures of lodging complaints, procedures for resolution of disputes, service standards applicable to the Public Protector in relation to investigations and resolving disputes and time frames for organs of state to respond to reports or findings.

The Rules were crafted and published in terms of section 7 (11) of the Public Protector Act 23 of 1994, which states that the Public Protector may make rules in respect of matters that have a bearing on investigations, provided that such rules are be published in the Gazette for public comments and tabled in the National Assembly.

The rules are available at libraries across the country and on the Public Protector website: www.publicprotector.org.