Parliament, Tuesday, 8 October 2024 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has commended the reduction in permitting backlog since the Department of Home Affairs instituted a focused plan with a dedicated team. The committee visited the operation centre of the backlog reduction team where it was impressed by the processes in place to ensure a seamless and verifiable application process.
The visit of the operation centre yesterday marked the beginning of the committee’s weeklong oversight programme to the department and its entities in Gauteng. The committee committed to continue to monitor the implementation of the plan as it views it as critical in the elimination of unnecessary court cases against the department.
It views the permitting process as a necessary and a strategic move that adds value to the broader scheme of facilitation of economic development in the country as it allows the migration of scarce skills in the country.
The committee has also commended the various components in the department’s anti-corruption unit and has called on the department for additional human resources to ensure that the work of this critical unit is enhanced.
The team is currently doing commendable work but the fact that they are under resourced can’t be overemphasised. The addition of critical investigative skills within the department will ensure that the impressive work by the anti corruption unit proves the correctness of the 6th Administrations’resolve to institute the Lubisi investigation that has created a platform for strengthening of the permitting regime.
The committee was impressed by the anti-corruption analysis team that is able to identify emerging trends in malfeasance and its spirit of collaboration with other law enforcement counterparts to stop malfeasance at all its manifestations, especially the transportation of stolen vehicles across the border. “Such capability strengthens the resolve the 6th Parliament committee highlighted that the Department of Home Affairs played a critical role in the security apparatus of the country,” said the Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mosa Chabane.
Meanwhile, the committee is concerned by the regression in the audit opinion by the Department of Home Affairs for the 2023/24 financial year and has called for the department to urgently implement corrective measures to address the situation. The committee received a presentation from the Office of the Auditor General and the Department on the annual report of the department and entities.
“The regression is concerning in the context of the improvement that the department has witnessed in the past three financial years. What is even worse is the non-compliance with laws and regulations which are central in maintenance of governance standards,” said Mr Chabane.
While the committee noted resignations of skilled employees within the finance department that led to some of the identified material irregularities, it emphasised that effective succession planning should have been in place to ensure maintenance of good audit opinions. Despite that, however, the committee welcomed the department’s plans to fill the critical vacancies within the finance unit. It also welcomed the speed with which the department has started to develop an audit action plan for immediate implementation to address areas of concern.
Meanwhile, following the death of a refugee at the Tshwane Refugee Reception Centre in Marabastad, the committee will today will visit the centre to assess the movement of the process at the centre. The committee will also assess the implementation of plans to control inflow of refugees visiting the centre to apply for documents. Furthermore, it will interact with Border Management Authority on its plans for the coming year and plans to resolve funding challenges of the entity. The committee will also visit the site where the department is conducting the digitisation of records to assess progress thereof.
Details of the visit as as follows:
Date: Tuesday, 08 October 2024
Time: 09:00
Venue: Tshwane Refugee Reception Centre, Marabastad
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, MR MOSA CHABANE.
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