Department Of Home Affairs
The Department of Home Affairs is a South African government department responsible for immigration, citizenship, identity documentation and civil registration. The department manages the issuance of passports, identity documents, birth certificates, marriage certificates and death certificates for South African citizens and residents. It oversees immigration control at ports of entry, processes visa applications and administers the country's refugee and asylum systems. The department also maintains the National Population Register, which records vital statistics and demographic information for the population. Its mandate includes combating identity fraud, illegal immigration and document forgery. The department operates service centres across South Africa and works with external service providers such as VFS Global to process visa applications in other countries. It reports to the Minister of Home Affairs, a Cabinet-level position. The department plays a central role in national security, border management and the administration of civic rights. It has undergone modernisation efforts in recent years to digitise services and reduce processing times for documents and applications.
Department Of Home Affairs Updates
Time is money: Participating Companies agree the Trusted Employer Scheme delivers real business benefits
27th August 2026 Who better to ask whether the Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) is achieving its aim of providing pre-vetted employers with a more streamlined... →
Home Affairs on final week to register customary marriages before 31 August deadline
25th August 2026 The Department of Home Affairs reminds members of the public that there are only six days left to register qualifying customary marriages before... →
Parly flags R300m shortfall at Home Affairs following spike in deportations 
By: Thabi Shomolekae 25th August 2026 The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has raised serious concerns over a R341-million financial shortfall facing the Department of... →
DA Minister and Mayor collaborate to up Home Affairs capacity in Cape Town
24th August 2026 The opening of a new Home Affairs office at the Cape Town Civic Centre by Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, and Cape Town Executive... →
Expanded Trusted Employer Scheme fast-tracks global skills into South Africa, but it must also bring the right skills
24th August 2026 The recently launched second phase of the Department of Home Affairs' Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) marks another significant step towards making... →
Governments shouldn’t rely on AI to decide who gets a social grant: inside a South African court case
19th August 2026 South Africa introduced a digital social assistance programme in 2020 to identify who was eligible for its Social Relief of Distress grant. The... →
DHA launches Electronic Travel Authorisation platform to boost tourism, curb corruption
By: Schalk Burger 13th August 2026 The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has launched South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) platform, which was designed to modernise... →
SA: Leon Schreiber: Address by Home Affairs Minister, at the official launch of South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (12/08/2026)
13th August 2026 This is not only because of the significance of the ETA as the flagship reform to modernise and digitally transform South Africa’s visa and... →
SA: Cyril Ramaphosa: Address by South African President, on the launch of South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation, OR Tambo International Airport (12/08/2026)
13th August 2026 This is far more than the introduction of a new digital platform. It is a statement about the kind of country we are building. →
Minister Schreiber’s electronic visa unlocks jobs and growth
13th August 2026 Today’s launch of South Africa’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) is a major step forward, making our country easier to visit, while... →
