Pension Funds Adjudicator Muvhango Lukhaimane. Picture: Supplied
Pension Funds Adjudicator Muvhango Lukhaimane said on Thursday that the challenges of the Office of Public Protector and country required someone who has proven experience in governance and administration.
Lukhaimane said the position required someone who could discharge the mandate of the office in a manner that showed integrity and discipline and the ability to perform and achieve the mandate of that office to make a difference to people and complainants.
“Given my qualifications, I am qualified to do the post. I have legal degrees up to master’s in law and business administration.
“I am well vested with experience to run the office to deal with complainants and having experience in governance issues and public administration,” she said.
Lukhaimane was the first person to be questioned on the second day of the interviews for Busisiwe Mkhwebane’s replacement when her term expires in October.
Lukhaimane, who is an advocate of the high court, said she has accumulated experience from the pension fund environment that could benefit the Office of the Public Protector.
The Pension Fund Adjudicator deals with complaints from pension funds, members, administrators and other stakeholders.
“One of the things we look at is maladministration, which is one of the things the Public Protector is tasked to do,” she told the MPs.
Lukhaimane also said her office resolved complaints and conducted investigations.
Lukhaimane told the MPs that she has the required skills to be a fit and proper person for the job.
“I possess the temperament and the sort of, not politically naïve, but I am politically astute, in an organisation to be able to understand the situation and make use of my skills to make sure the organisation achieves its mandate no matter what is happening around.”
Lukhaimane, who was a candidate in the last public protector interviews, said she did not walk away feeling that she was a failure when she was not appointed and Mkhwebane landed the job.
“I am not back feeling I am entitled. I feel I am in a better position to fulfil the (functions) of the office,” she added.
Asked about innovative measures she would introduce were she appointed to the position, Lukhaimane said she would look at how the institution explores the case management system, which her entity has implemented since 2013.
“It is not just a management tool, but it gives business intelligence information for stakeholders to improve,” she said.
Lukhaimane said she would look at the backlog of cases to determine their causes and look into re-engineering the institution.
“In classification of complaints, they (Office of the Public Protector) did not have complaints they registered as complex.
“Why, if there are no complex cases, we end up with matters not finalised within a reasonable time?”
She added that she would look at the prolonged suspension of employees as this had a negative impact on service delivery and people’s careers.
Lukhaimane also said she would improve the institution’s stakeholder engagement as the office was there to create trust with the people and public at large.
“I will categorise stakeholders and develop an engagement plan for each stakeholder.”
Lukhaimane said she would ensure that there was the highest quality assurance of investigative reports.
“I will have to ensure every aspect of the complaint is dealt with, investigations are done by people who are qualified and necessary questions are asked,” she said.
Lukhaimane said she would defend matters in court when complainants brought new facts in a review application and contribute to jurisprudence.
Cape Times