City Ombudsman introduces himself to Alexandra
Advocate Siduduzo Gumede, the Ombudsman in the City of Johannesburg, visited Alex to inform residents on how they can work with his office to sort out service delivery concerns.
The City of Johannesburg’s Office of the Ombudsman invited several city stakeholders to engage Alexandra community members through a citizen information clinic at the Eastbank Hall.
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The event on February 13 saw Ombudsman, Advocate Siduduzo Gumede joined by Regional Director (Region E) Makgafela Thaba, as well as representatives from the offices of the Gauteng region public protector, Group Forensic Investigations, the National Credit Regulator, the Pension Fund Adjudicator, the Direct Market Association of South Africa, and Ward 105 councillor Tefo Raphadu.
“Half the people here have experienced issues with service delivery; some are easier to solve than others. We are here to introduce the institutions that exist to help you keep the city accountable,” said Raphadu in his welcome address.
“This forms a part of what we call participatory democracy, bringing institutions like these closer to the communities that they service.”
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Deputy director of communications and media in the Office of the Ombudsman, Corrine Lekhoane, said the Ombudsman noted that people held protests because they didn’t know the proper channels to direct their concerns. She expressed her belief that people would not protest if they understood the functions of the Ombudsman.
“Every department in the city has an escalation process. When you arrive at the office of the Ombudsman, you will need to give us proof that you’ve gone to the relevant department and tried to resolve the matter.”
Lekhoane explained the authority of the Ombudsman, saying that theirs was to hold city departments to account when found to be doing a disservice to the people.
Among the attendees were members of the Rethable Senior Citizens Club. The club’s chairperson Marie Hlongwa lamented how their club was always contacted by the city when they needed singers at an event, but their club received no monetary assistance from the city.
“We have been squatting as an organisation at Altrec Sports Centre hall from 2008 up to now in 2025; we don’t have anywhere else designated – it’s the only place that can accommodate our activities,” said Hlongwa. “We have a soccer club, music, and gardening, but no offices or official clubhouse. We do try to get funds from the city, and we feel they should look out for us, too.”
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