The Public Protector as a Mechanism of Political Accountability:CJ TCHAWOUO The Extent MBIADA of its ContributionPER / PELJ 2017 (20) 1 to the Realisation of the Right to Access Adequate Housing in South Africa CJ Tchawouo Mbiada* Abstract Pioneer in peer -reviewed, open access online law publications This paper is premised on the concept of political accountability which aims to hold accountable government for its action and or Author omission. Political accountability encompasses a number of mechanisms such as the judiciary and the ombudsman. Courts Carlos Joel Tchawouo Mbiada have been instrumental in enforcing the realisation of the right to access to adequate housing in South Africa. This paper argues, Affiliation however, that the judiciary is not the only enforcing avenue because other mechanisms of political accountability may also Labour Appeal Court, South Africa contribute to the realisation of the right to housing. The paper, therefore, explores the extent of the Public Protector's Email
[email protected] contribution to the realisation of the right to access to adequate Date published housing. The paper then argues that it is through its functions that the Public Protector exercises its accounting role in the 28 May 2017 realisation of the right to access to adequate housing. The paper, however, cautions that the Public Protector is not an alternative Editor Prof C Rautenbach dispute resolution institution parallel to courts. But that the Public Protector complements the role played by courts by offering How to cite this article another medium through which such right may be realised. Tchawouo Mbiada CJ "The Public Protector as a Mechanism of Political Accountability: The Extent of its Contribution to the Realisation Keywords of the Right to Access Adequate Housing in South Africa" PER / Right to access to adequate housing; political accountability; PELJ 2017(20) - DOI judiciary; ombudsman; Public Protector; accountability; http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/1727- 3781/2017/v20n0i1382 enforcement and realisation.