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Thousands of people continue to suffer and are being denied access to work and travelling opportunities due to a backlog in issuing police clearance certificates.

The Democratic Alliance (DA) have received information that there is currently a backlog at the Pretoria Police Criminal Record Centre of more than 40 000 police clearance certificates not being issued.

Applications have not been processed since early October and the backlog dates from July this year.

In general, a police clearance certificate should not take longer than 14 days to be processed. This is an important document for many South African’s livelihoods as this is required for a large number of work applications, emigrations, and immigration cases with Home Affairs.

During the Special Oversight Committee for Community Safety and Security on Wednesday, this was indeed confirmed by the Provincial Police Commissioner, citing that this is a national competency and that the Criminal Record Centre is awaiting delivery of government paper.

The DA is concerned that a simple thing such as the lack of paper can cost thousands of people the opportunity to make a living and ensure their economic independence.

The DA will write to the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele and the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety and Security, Faith Mazibuko, to urgently intervene and ensure the delivery of the paper to process the police clearance certificates. Contingency plans should also be put in place to ensure that the backlog is addressed, and police clearance certificates are issued as a matter of urgency.

Issued by Crezane Bosch MPL - DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety