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Global Migration SA

Home Affairs unable to deliver on basic constitutional respnsibilities

Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:42

The South African Department of Home Affairs’ vision states that it (the department) “strives to become the leading Department in South Africa in terms of service delivery and effective and committed staff members.” The strategic plan lists Mission Success factors such as “client focus orientation, accessibility of services, corruption free system...” among others.

With economic growth and development, as well as welcoming foreigners investors into the country being a reason which adds to the growth of the economy, Home Affairs is not currently able to deliver on promises and objectives, despite an extensive turnaround programme launched in 2007.

In an open letter to President Mbeki and the Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Isaacson, Managing Director of Global Migration SA, a national immigration company, says that the situation is still unacceptable.

“There has to be clear action by leadership and management to ensure that the department executes the responsibilities allocation by the Constitution or the Courts will have to be asked to intervene to ensure that applicants are not discriminated against and prejudiced by non delivery of the basic responsibilities and services of department,” Isaacson said in an interview in Cape Town today.

“It is ironic that Home Affairs, as a government department, is viewed as a primary obstruction to investment in this country.” Promoting our country as a desirable place to live is a part of the mission of Global Migration SA’s. Once foreigners choose to reside in South Africa, applications for permits have to be submitted to Home Affairs for approval.

This part of the process seems to be fraught with problems.

Both Pretoria Home Affairs offices (both head office and Pretorius Street) are not responsive when it comes to feedback.

The Johannesburg office has been restricting the number of applications which a company can submit (three per person), which results in companies returning to Home Affairs and wasting valuable time. In this time, permits are expiring.

Even though the Cape Town Home Affairs office is situated opposite a police station, immigration companies have to take the risks associated with queuing from as early as 23h00 the previous night to be in the at the front of the queue for submission of applications.

At the moment, the first six to eight companies are assisted daily and after that the rest have to come back the next day.

Moving forward is a goal which South African’s share. Encouraging foreigners to come into the country is a step toward economic growth and development.

Bringing skilled labour into the country is rewarding to the country, where there is a skills shortage.

Intervention and action needs to occur as soon as possible, as growth and development should not be held back by an inefficient bureaucracy.