Hon Speaker, the presidential hotline was established as part of an enhanced public liaison capacity within the Presidency. Its objective is to provide redress for members of the public who have not been adequately assisted by the structures and processes of government, as well as for those who are too far from where government centres or offices are found.
The hotline is an important part of our effort to improve the accessibility, responsiveness and transparency of government. We will therefore be publishing, on a regular basis, reports on the complaints received through the hotline. We will also indicate what responses or actions have been taken to address the matters raised.
I have requested the public liaison unit in the Presidency to develop a standard reporting format that will enable us to make public a detailed report on the matters handled by the presidential hotline. This will assist us in understanding the nature and extent of the challenges our people face and, importantly, also in monitoring how these issues are being attended to by government departments. We will then be able to check progress over time.
We are committed to making available as much relevant information as possible, without compromising confidentiality and the privacy of any callers or other individuals. The hotline has received a number of corruption-related allegations. These have been forwarded to the relevant departments or entities affected.
However, owing to the sensitive nature of the information and the fact that these are still at the stage of being allegations, divulging details could compromise any subsequent investigation that may follow. It could also prejudice the rights of those against whom allegations have been made. I thank you.