Note to Editors: Please find attached soundbite by Hannah Shameema Winkler MP.
After receiving numerous complaints from Umlazi residents, the DA conducted an oversight visit to the Prospecton Home Affairs office in Durban.
At present Umlazi does not have its own fully-modernised Home Affairs branch despite its vast population size. Instead, the Umlazi Magistrates Court houses a Home Affairs satellite branch which only operates according to the court’s opening times. Some residents alleged that the office sometimes fails to open at all.
The DA Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Angel Khanyile, will be following up with the Department of Home Affairs on the possibility of the opening a dedicated fully-modernised Home Affairs branch for Umlazi with extended hours that can issue smart cards. Our oversight to the Prospecton Home Affairs revealed long, snaking queues outside the building as well as in the internal courtyard. There was no clear indication on where individuals were required to queue for different services. It was also revealed that the online system for new ID applications was down.
It was also revealed that late birth registration (LBR) interviews were severely backlogged with only a singular committee responsible for all interviews across eThekwini. The DA received a number of complaints regarding LBRs with some people waiting since 2019 for an interview and others struggling to obtain birth certificates in order to apply for SASSA grants.
Considering the vast number of applications that need to processed, it is inconceivable that one committee is tasked to attend to all interviews across the municipality.
The DA notes and welcomes the announcement that Home Affairs would extend its office hours from 08:00 to 17:30, but encourages the Department to implement DA suggestions to further fix several issues at various Home Affairs offices around the country.
A DA-suggestion, to which the Department committed, to install cameras at Home Affairs offices in order to put an end to corruption, must be installed as soon as possible.
And while the booking system that the DA has been advocating for has finally been announced, it must now be implemented.
The DA’s responsibility as public servants is to serve our communities with professionalism and compassion. We will continue to strive to hold the ANC-government accountable and to advocate for quality services for the residents of Umlazi.