IN CONVERSATION WITH ADV S'DU GUMEDE (the ambudsman for the city of johannesburg)
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From February to March 2026, the Office of the Ombudsman for the City of
Johannesburg is rolling out its annual Citizen Information Clinics across all
regions of the city under the theme “Working together to deliver real
solutions.”
These clinics are designed to take Ombudsman services directly into
communities, offering residents an accessible platform to raise service
delivery complaints, track unresolved cases, and engage face-to-face with
city entities such as City Power, Joburg Water, Revenue Services, and other
stakeholders.
What distinguishes the 2026 rollout is the demonstrated impact of previous
clinics. Complaints raised during the March 2025 clinics led to concrete
corrective action — including the shutdown of an illegal bakery in Protea
Glen that posed serious health and safety risks due to unlawful electricity
connections and open sewage. Following the Ombudsman’s intervention,
illegal structures were demolished, tenants evacuated, electricity meters
removed, and formal rezoning processes initiated.
The Office says this reflects the strength of cooperative governance and
proves that the clinics are not simply complaint forums but interventions that
deliver outcomes, rebuild trust, and restore dignity.
This year, the programme has been strengthened through Saturday Open
Days and a proactive resolution approach, targeting long-standing complaints
caused by departmental delays or non-responsiveness. Empowered by the
Ombudsman By-Law of 2023, the Office can now investigate, mediate and
resolve cases that have remained unresolved for over six months.
At the core of this initiative is a push for accountability, public education, and
human-rights-centred service delivery — meeting communities where they
are, and ensuring municipal systems work for the people they serve.
Johannesburg is rolling out its annual Citizen Information Clinics across all
regions of the city under the theme “Working together to deliver real
solutions.”
These clinics are designed to take Ombudsman services directly into
communities, offering residents an accessible platform to raise service
delivery complaints, track unresolved cases, and engage face-to-face with
city entities such as City Power, Joburg Water, Revenue Services, and other
stakeholders.
What distinguishes the 2026 rollout is the demonstrated impact of previous
clinics. Complaints raised during the March 2025 clinics led to concrete
corrective action — including the shutdown of an illegal bakery in Protea
Glen that posed serious health and safety risks due to unlawful electricity
connections and open sewage. Following the Ombudsman’s intervention,
illegal structures were demolished, tenants evacuated, electricity meters
removed, and formal rezoning processes initiated.
The Office says this reflects the strength of cooperative governance and
proves that the clinics are not simply complaint forums but interventions that
deliver outcomes, rebuild trust, and restore dignity.
This year, the programme has been strengthened through Saturday Open
Days and a proactive resolution approach, targeting long-standing complaints
caused by departmental delays or non-responsiveness. Empowered by the
Ombudsman By-Law of 2023, the Office can now investigate, mediate and
resolve cases that have remained unresolved for over six months.
At the core of this initiative is a push for accountability, public education, and
human-rights-centred service delivery — meeting communities where they
are, and ensuring municipal systems work for the people they serve.
