MRS I MARS MP
 

National Assembly, 07 June 2007  

Madam Speaker,

After a number of qualified reports the Auditor general last year issued a disclaimer of opinion which caused major concerns. It is to your credit Minister, that you accepted the disclaimer as justified and requested the appointment of an intervention by National Treasury in terms of the Public Finance Act.

With this in mind, we need to examine the various reports received in terms of the compliance with the recommendations of the intervention team. We are satisfied that the vital issue, namely the appointment of a new Director General has been implemented and congratulate Mr Mavuso Msimang and wish him a long and successful tenure in the Department. We still need to establish if the recommendation by the Intervention teams that his appointment should be a five year term instead of three years, has been implemented.

The important matter is that the department now has a Director General who can forge ahead with the implementation of the other recommendations of the Task Team. He needs to stabilize the organisation by securing the services of a strong and vibrant management team. We hope that in due course the success of this team will be demonstrated by a clean Auditor General's report.

In view of the fact that Home Affairs was to have entered a period of "new beginnings" in 2006, I need to highlight areas of continued concerns.

1. Identity Documents - last year an estimated 1.5 million eligible South Africans were still without bar-coded identity books. The report identified many of these citizens as mainly poor, rural and with low educational levels. It is obvious that these areas have to be identified and serviced by mobile units. There was a promise of additional units. We would like to know what actions were taken to capture a convincing number of these unfortunate citizens who, by virtue of being undocumented, are denied access to services, grants and other benefits to which all our people are entitled.

2. Service Delivery - According to many reports service delivery and the interaction between Home affairs Officials and clients at the local level, so to speak, are still being negatively reported. Documents are still "lost" in the system and officials still seem unable to assist. It seems to us that only a sound and compulsory training programme can make officials more client-friendly. The position is that Home Affairs is being judged by the behaviour of these officers. The training of staff at this level is essential if the turnaround strategy is to benefit our clients - after all Home Affairs has to provide and regulate the interests of the inhabitants of South Africa regarding their individual status, identify and specific rights and powers and to promote a supporting service for this. Money has been allocated to fund the department's turn-around strategy and to improve delivery, develop service standards and operative procedures for Provincial Offices and Ports of Entries.

It is reassuring to note an increase of 21% for administration which deal mainly with IT projects, additional staff and improved remuneration, all of them a necessity.

3. Illegal Immigration still remains a major concern. Deportation to their countries of origin is very costly and exceeds the amounts budgeted for. On oversight we were informed that those returned, usually come back for a second attempt at illegal entry. We can tell you, Minister, that we saw well- trodden paths on both sides of the border and observed a man helpfully cutting the wire fence with a s spade to facilitate an illegal crossing. Deportation does not appear to be an effective remedy.

Public Enterprises received an increase of almost 39% of which 131 million is allocated to the IEC for increased election authorities both here and in other countries on our continent. The establishment of a permanent election training facility is highly recommend, commendable and benefits both local and foreign election personnel. This will add further acclaim to an institution which has been under stable management since its inception.

Government Printing Works is a trading entity with government as its main client. It intends to move to acceptable and secure premises. It is in the process of developing advanced secure passports, are acquiring sophisticated equipment for this purpose for which it has the necessary resources. In its strategic business plan it proposes two distinctive functions, namely security printing and standard printing. Government is its major client. Government Departments must by made to pay their outstanding debt to the Printing works.

The Film and Publication Board has been allocated an additional 49% for expanded complaint monitoring and classification activities. It has a young, dynamic and confident management team. We shall watch developments with interest.

In closing, may I read to you Minister, the closing part of a rather damming Editorial on Home Affairs and I quote:

"But there is hope. The Minister seems determined to succeed and has appointed a respected manager, Mavuso Msimang as Director General, doing away with the practise of appointing Heads of Departments whose chief qualifications were being ruling party functionaries. This is a good start.

More importantly, she has asked a turnaround action team made up of local and international consultants, including experts who helped South Africa's best managed entity, the South African Revenue Service improve its performance. She has promised that results should be felt by year's end. Long suffering citizens will be hoping that she is right and that this time, there is real and lasting change. So do we.

The IFP supports the budget.