The Chief Whip of the IFP, Mr Koos van der Merwe MP, has today submitted complaints against the Minister of Home Affairs to both the Public Protector and President Mbeki for what is described as "scandalous service delivery".

A Law firm applied on 21 December 2004 for the issue of 34 unabridged birth certificates and paid the prescribed fees on the same day. These certificates are needed by minors who have submitted claims to the Road Accident Fund to finalise their claims for damages of personal injuries sustained in motor vehicle accidents. These matters were obviously urgent.

Despite numerous telephone calls, personal attendances and thereafter letter by Mr van der Merwe to the Deputy Director General, the Director General and even the Minister personally, not even an acknowledgement of receipt was received.

Mr van der Merwe wrote to the Minister on 20 September 2005, complaining that his pleas are being ignored, naming the failures to issue the certificates "scandalous service delivery", and said it should be exposed, but offered the Minister personally an opportunity to urgently attend to the matter.

"The Minister did not even bother to reply to me as a Member of Parliament," says Mr van der Merwe.

After eleven months of pressurising the Department to issue the certificates, Mr van der Merwe has finally given up hope and reported the Minister and her Department to both the Public Protector and President Mbeki.

In his letter to President Mbeki Mr van der Merwe asks for the issue of certificates and disciplinary action against the Minister and her Department.

"This form of scandalous service delivery is growing by the day and cannot be tolerated. The public is entitled to effective service delivery. If Departments and Ministers do not carry out their duties, we will use our Constitutional rights to force them to serve the public," said Mr van der Merwe.