Public Protector Busisiwe Mkhwebane has asked Justice Minister Michael Masutha to support her office by creating a framework for government to comply and co-operate with her office's investigations and remedial actions.

Mkhwebane made the proposal on Monday during a meeting with Masutha. The meeting was aimed at exploring ways to enhance the Public Protector's services, as well as to establish co-operation and compliance by government with the institution's investigations and remedial actions, spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said.

Masutha has promised to raise Mkhwebane's proposal with government.

"Minister Masutha undertook to raise with government the proposal to develop a framework for co-operation and compliance with the Public Protector investigations and remedial action in order to give support," Segalwe said.

This also included the processes of all other institutions established under chapter 9 of the Constitution by all government departments, he said.

19 offices across country

Other matters discussed during the meeting included a proposal that magistrates' courts be used to extend the public's access countrywide to the public protector's services.

The public protector was currently using 19 offices across the country to serve communities, Segalwe said.

Mkhwebane also asked that Masutha strengthen his own department's complaints and dispute resolution mechanisms, due to the high number of complaints her office was receiving.

"The public protector receives hundreds of complaints annually concerning, among other things, alleged undue delays in processing applications for appeals and the production of court records," Segalwe said.