Nonprofit organisation (NPO) Corruption Watch on Monday launched the Bua Mzansi public awareness campaign in Johannesburg in an effort to engage South Africans to actively participate in this year’s process of nominating and appointing a new Public Protector.

Thuli Madonsela would end her nonrenewable term in the Office of the Public Protector on October 19.

Corruption Watch executive director David Lewis said at the launch that Bua Mzansi – Sesotho for ‘Speak up South Africa’ – would be a flagship campaign for the NPO.

It aimed to ensure that the Office of the Public Protector remained a “safely guarded cornerstone of South Africa’s democracy” once the new Public Protector was announced.

Besides encouraging the public to take an active part in nominating and voting for suitable candidates, the campaign also hoped to create avenues for vigorous public engagement and dialogue about the role of the Public Protector. South Africans were also encouraged to frame questions for candidates.

“This campaign is about the leadership of Chapter 9 institutions and institutions that require independence in their leadership. Many stories of corruption start with the appointment of inappropriate people in leadership positions, as well as the removal of appropriate people from these positions,” said Lewis.

While the campaign focused on the Public Protector, Corruption Watch hoped other Chapter 9 institutions would also be scrutinised.

Public Awareness, Participation and Transparency
Bua Mzansi would involve raising public awareness to highlight the role of the Public Protector, its functions, responsibilities and how the public can get involved in the nomination of candidates.

Public participation would involve creating avenues for South Africans to participate in the appointment of the new Public Protector through media technology and traditional mobilising methods such as roadshows.

Corruption Watch would embark on roadshows across four provinces and will develop and use technologies to allow the public to nominate and engage with potential candidates and ensure they are properly scrutinised.

Corruption Watch is also developing a crowd-voting application to influence President Jacob Zuma’s decision on the selection of a new Public Protector.

Lewis stated that the organisation would campaign to ensure that the Public Protector nominees were properly vetted, qualified and suitable for the post and that the entire process took place in the public spotlight.

He added that the Public Protector played a critical role in the fight against corruption in South Africa and this crucial position was, therefore, open to the danger of political interference and vulnerable to executive influence.

“For this reason Bua Mzansi aims to ensure that every step of the appointment process takes place in the public spotlight to safeguard the independence and integrity of the Office of the Public Protector and that public voice is influential in making the appointment of the leader of an institution precisely charged with protecting and advancing the interests of the public,” stated Lewis.