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Date: 14/04/2010
Source: The Inkatha Freedom Party
Title: IFP: Makhuba: Speech by IFP Member of Parliament on the Home Affairs budget, National Assembly

Honourable Speaker,

On behalf of the IFP, let me first welcome the newly appointed
Director-General, Mr Mkuseli Apleni. We look forward to a good working
relationship.

In order for the Department of Home Affairs to fulfil it's civic functions
of acting as the custodian of citizenship and identity as well as being the
regulator of immigration, ports of entry and the promoter of international
relations it requires a very dedicated, efficient and competent leadership
and staffing contingent.

The IFP holds the department of Home Affairs very close to its heart and
takes a very active interest in its development and management.

In the area of performance delivery we note that the department has had a
mixture of successes and failures with target turnaround times regarding the
issue and re-issue of identity documents, birth, marriage, death
certificates and passports. We further note that it has set itself even
higher turnaround goals for the 2010/11 period. We hope that the department
is not following an "over promise and under deliver" strategy and caution it
to rather set incremental goals that are more readily achievable.

Another issue is the misinformation which is being given to citizens when
they interact with the Department, which results in a citizen having to make
five trips to the departmental offices in order to obtain an identity
document or passport. This is unacceptable and its cause must be identified
and corrected.

Praise however is in order for the Department's call centre with its very
efficient handling of public queries and for its pro-active approach with
the "Who am I" project which promotes the transition to a paperless working
environment.

The issuing of identity documents at schools is also a step in the right
direction and should alleviate a great deal of burden from the Home Affairs
frontline offices. Pro-active initiatives such as these will go a long way
in assisting the department with its performance delivery.

Currently the Department's major focus should be on preparations for the
2010 FIFA World Cup and the sudden influx of foreign tourists and football
teams that will begin entering our country within the next 57 days. We trust
that the Minister is prioritising the changes to the immigration procedures
as specified by FIFA and that the football fans will have a problem free
entry and exit from South Africa. Another grave concern is the increase in
human trafficking that will occur around the World Cup. Are all of our
officials at our ports of entry properly trained to identify and handle
situations of this nature if and when they arise?

Within the Department the IFP is very concerned that the spectre of
corruption and poor work ethic is raising its head. This must be dealt with
swiftly and decisively as it eventually leads to total departmental
dysfunction which impacts negatively on the lives of our citizens as they
receive sub-standard service in their departmental dealings and we therefore
urge Minister Dlamini-Zuma to attend to this as a matter of urgency.

The Independent Electoral Commission, whilst doing an admirable job with the
elections has still not remunerated many election officers in rural areas
for work done during last years April election. This is unacceptable and
must be rectified as these election officers are amongst the most needy of
our country. We are facing local government elections in 2011 and do not
want see a repeat of this situation.

The smartcard ID system which was introduced more than 10 years ago and
approved by Cabinet in 2001 has yet to materialise. Last year the Minister
indicated that the Smart Card process had been stopped, and admitted last
month that National Treasury has not given the Department any budget
allocation for the project this year. The Minister needs to provide clarity
on this project.

These are but a few of the many challenges that face Minister Dlamini-Zuma
and her team during this year, it is an extra-ordinary year in that we have
the World Cup and a year in which the Department will have to step-up it's
game in order to achieve the lofty goals which it has set for itself.

In conclusion, the IFP supports the vote.

I thank you.