Have we become such cynics that we look upon announcements such as the one below as "SITUATION NORMAL"? Home Affairs’ system down The Department of Home Affairs says it is currently experiencing a system downtime which has affected the issuing of smart ID cards and passports. However, all other services remain available in all Home Affairs front offices across the country and have not been affected. “A technical team is working around the clock to resolve the issue and restore all … [Read more...] about Is this even News?
home affairs
Home Affairs Offices Downtime
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs, Mr Hlomani Chauke, has voiced his disappointment at reports of downtime at the Department of Home Affairs offices countrywide which resulted in no and or minimal services being rendered at their offices across the country. “It is completely unacceptable that people could spend the whole day at home affairs offices without receiving services. The Committee has over time raised concerns over the reliability of service that the State … [Read more...] about Home Affairs Offices Downtime
Home Affairs strike action
The Department of Home Affairs has been served with a notice to strike on 19 June by unions representing employees at the department. The Department of Home Affairs and the unions are set for conciliation on Tuesday at the General Public Service Sector Bargaining Council (GPSSBC), in line with the Constitutional Court’s directive that the dispute be referred for conciliation. “In light of these developments, the department wishes to advise officials that the status quo remains and that … [Read more...] about Home Affairs strike action
PE Refugee Office ruling ‘being studied’
The Department of Home Affairs says it has noted the ruling passed by the Constitutional Court in relation to an appeal against an earlier decision by the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA). The matter relates to the closing of the Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Office by the department. In the earlier judgement, the SCA declared the decision to close the office unlawful and ordered that Home Affairs Director General Mkuseli Apleni deliver monthly reports on steps taken to ensure … [Read more...] about PE Refugee Office ruling ‘being studied’
PE refugee reception centre was ‘like a tourist bus’
The Department of Home Affairs wants to make late birth registrations more difficult so that it can weed out chancers, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Fatima Chohan said on Tuesday. Speaking during the home affairs briefing in Parliament, she said: "We are going to make screening more difficult because most [of those] who are taking up late registrations are failed asylum seekers who have not left the country. Then [they] try their luck for South African citizenship through late registration … [Read more...] about PE refugee reception centre was ‘like a tourist bus’
Home Affairs Official Arrested
A Home Affairs front office clerk was arrested on Tuesday in King Williamstown, in the Eastern Cape, for facilitating fraudulent marriages involving illegal foreign nationals. An investigation by the Home Affairs Counter-Corruption Unit, SAPS Crime Intelligence and the Hawks led to the arrest of the official together with a foreign national suspected of leading the illegal operation. A search of the foreign national's house led to the discovery of copies of passports, identity documents, … [Read more...] about Home Affairs Official Arrested
Threatened Home Affairs Strike
The Department of Home Affairs has warned that it will take disciplinary measures against employees threatening to down tools. Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni said they have been reliably informed that some 6 000 employees have threatened to down tools as they are unhappy about the new working hours that are set to commence today. "We therefore wish to send a warning to any official who participates in this illegal activity that the department will not hesitate to exercise its … [Read more...] about Threatened Home Affairs Strike
Home Affairs open on 7 May
Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor, who is also a part of the JCPS cluster, said all Home Affairs offices throughout the country will be open from 7am on Election Day, to enable people to collect their identity documents. According to Minister Pandor, there are 122 000 uncollected IDs and 23 000 uncollected smartcard IDs. Home Affairs has 117 mobile offices to provide extra capacity to process applications. All border posts will be open and functioning on Election Day to allow South … [Read more...] about Home Affairs open on 7 May
Home Affairs to cancel duplicate IDs
Home Affairs officials have urged all South Africans with duplicate IDs or ID numbers to come forward and correct this before the end of October. The department's acting Director-General, Vusumuzi Mkhize, announced today that Home Affairs will invalidate duplicate Identity Documents (IDs) by 31 October. This means that people who have multiple ID numbers will not be able to use their IDs after this date. Affected individuals will not be able to do bank transactions, open accounts or apply … [Read more...] about Home Affairs to cancel duplicate IDs
Friday Rant – Herald, BRT, Home Affairs
Home Affairs: So my son of 20 years of age goes down to Home Affairs to apply for a passport. Before he goes he makes sure that he has the required copies, images and black pen. He gets the required forms, fills in the required information and proceeds to the fingerprinting department. There is one other gentleman sitting there. The fingerprinting official enters and observing that the gentleman has no forms and proceeds to help my son. The formless (gormless?) individual … [Read more...] about Friday Rant – Herald, BRT, Home Affairs
Check online to see if you are one of the 29 000 with a duplicate ID
The Department of Home Affairs has made public the names of 29 000 people who share their ID number with someone else - in a bid to assist those with duplicated IDs. Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni said at a media briefing in Pretoria on Thursday that the names of those affected had been put up on the department's website - www.dha.gov.za (click here to check your ID online) - and that they would also be published in print media across the country from 8 May. The names of … [Read more...] about Check online to see if you are one of the 29 000 with a duplicate ID
If you go down to the bank today you could be in for a surprise
Soon to be rolled out across the country is the ability for banks to verify ID books against fingerprints by being allowed access to the Department of Home Affairs National Identification System (HANIS). At the launch of this initiative, Home Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said; "....the launch of the Online Fingerprint Verification System by the Home Affairs Department and SABRIC (South African Banking Risk Information Centre) will lay a basis for us jointly to deal a massive and … [Read more...] about If you go down to the bank today you could be in for a surprise
Port Elizabeth’s Refugee Reception Centre to shut down
The Department of Home Affairs is to close its Port Elizabeth Refugee Reception Centre at the end of November. This follows a court judgment that directed the department to close the centre. "The Department of Home Affairs... is fully cognisant of its international obligations towards ensuring the rights of refugees are upheld. To this end, the government has ensured its domestic law is responsive to ensuring we meet and fulfil these obligations. "However, following a court decision … [Read more...] about Port Elizabeth’s Refugee Reception Centre to shut down
Department of Home Affairs Port Elizabeth Telephone Number
After receiving the hundredth call from some anonymous rude person looking for the telephone number for the Home Affairs Department in Port Elizabeth I decided to get off of my overworked fat butt and see if I could see just what was going on. Now it has become quite a regular occurrence for us in MyPE land to receive such calls looking for telephone numbers of various businesses within our ambit. Most of them as a result of the evil combination of Google and Skype - for some strange … [Read more...] about Department of Home Affairs Port Elizabeth Telephone Number
Longer Hours for Home Affairs Opening on 18 May
The Department of Home Affairs is pulling out all the stops to ensure that those who need Identity Documents (IDs) to cast their vote on 18 May have every opportunity to obtain them. Addressing a media briefing on Friday, the department's Director-General Mkuseli Apleni said on the day of the municipal elections all Home Affairs offices will open at 7am and close at 7pm. Apart from the normal services it offers, the offices will also issue temporary identity certificates to those who do … [Read more...] about Longer Hours for Home Affairs Opening on 18 May
