Public Protector reiterates the confidentiality of Provisional Reports

Friday, 29 November 2013

As a rule, we do not comment on whatever purports to be a provisional report of the Public Protector as those are not reports of the Public Protector (see Mail & Guardian article)..

The Public Protector's provisional reports are confidential. Publishing such reports is unethical and unlawful. It violates section 7(2) of the Public Protector Act 23, 1994, which states that:

"No person shall disclose to any other person the contents of any document in the possession of a member of the office of the Public Protector or the record of any evidence given before the Public Protector, Deputy Public Protector or a person ... during an investigation, unless the Public Protector determines otherwise."

Statement issued by Kgalalelo Masibi, Spokesperson, Public Protector South Africa, November 29 2013

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