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In 2008, the Department of Home Affairs introduced a turnaround strategy to remedy the numerous problems that characterise its service delivery. The Department utilised 142 consultants to effect this strategy, at a cost of R899.2 million. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has been informed, unofficially, that the total cost of the strategy has been in the region of R3.2 billion.

In some instances, the turnaround strategy has proved to be relatively successful. However, the DA is concerned that dysfunctionality is still prevalent. The Public Service Commission recently presented its research into service delivery by the Department to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs. The Commission found that the number of clients who felt that they experienced no problems with Home Affairs’ service has substantially decreased (from 78.1% in 2006/07 to 57.1% in 2009/10).

Of the 42.9% of clients who experienced problems, only 12.5 % lodged complaints. (The majority felt that it was not worthwhile to complain, or did not know how to lodge a complaint.)

The Department’s Customer Service Centre (CSC) received 1 074 528 calls between April and November 2009 (the last period for which accurate statistics are available). If this represents the full 12.5% of those who experienced problems, the implication is that approximately 11.4 million people experienced service delivery problems during 2009.

If the Public Service Commission’s research is accurate, and the level of satisfaction has dropped, the current figure is likely to be even higher than this.

The DA is concerned, not only about the apparent decline in satisfaction with service delivery, but about the increase in particular problems being dealt with by the CSC.

The following information, with respect to the nature of calls fielded by the CSC staff, was supplied in a reply received this week to a question posed by the DA to the Minister:

2008/09 2009/10 2010/11
Identity Documents: Duplication 9 056 32 377 35 091
Birth Certificates Application Status 31 461 81 590 10 5417
Death Certificates Application Status 2 217 6 637 8 920
Marriage Certificates Application Status 6 108 15 924 17 638
Rectification: Personal Details 18 631 4 479
Work Permits 4 167 20 868

These numbers are alarming, and deserving of serious attention by the Minister.

The Home Affairs Portfolio Committee will be interacting closely with the Department and its provincial management teams regarding their performance in the upcoming parliamentary sessions, and the DA will utilise these opportunities to interrogate the efficacy of the turnaround strategy, and whether its high cost is justified. With the information currently available, it does not appear as if South Africans have received a return on the investment of public funds in the Department of Home Affairs.