The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has welcomed the detailed briefing by the Department of Home Affairs on reasons behind the need for a review of the Immigration Regulations. The Committee supports the regulations and has urged the department to implement the regulations.
 
The Committee is of the view that these regulations are long overdue and necessary in closing loopholes in the Immigration and Refugee Acts that were systematically used by syndicates to sell South African identity and citizenship. The Committee views the regulations as a necessary precaution against heightened security challenges all over the world.   
 
It is up to the South African government to ensure safety and security of its citizens, their children and of all legitimate visitors that come to the country. Therefore these regulations will go a long way in ensuring this as authorities will be able to monitor the movement of persons in the country.
 
While the Committee supports the implementation of the regulations, the department must be alert to any unintended impact that may arise as a result of the regulations. But these teething challenges cannot and should not be used as an excuse for non-implementation of the regulations. The greater good is ensuring that the permeable nature of the country’s borders is resolved.
 
The Committee has further noted the media debate that the new regulations will negatively impact on the tourism sector as parents travelling with children require an unabridged birth certificate to travel with children. The Committee thus welcomes the assurance by the department that the carrying of the unabridged birth certificate is an interim measure as the department moves to an electronic system of verification. Through this envisioned electronic system, the certificate will only be required when applying and stored electronically and parents will then not be compelled to travel with it physically.         
   
Furthermore, the Committee also welcomes the assurance by the department that it is working towards uprooting any form of corruption within the department that might impede the implementation of the regulations.     
 
The Committee acknowledges the open-door policy that the Minister of Home Affairs has communicated in efforts to iron out any challenges that might be encountered. The Committee urges people to utilise this avenue of communication with the Minister in ensuring that the regulations achieve their intended goal. The Committee will also engage, on a continuous basis, with the department to ensure that challenges are reduced to a minimum.