Parliament, Wednesday, 11 March 2026 – The Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs has acknowledged the admission by the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) regarding delays in procuring office space for the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), but expressed grave concern about the absence of tangible solutions to address the challenge. The committee held a robust engagement with DHA leadership from the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape, as well as senior officials from the DPWI.
“It is not enough for the DPWI to simply acknowledge its shortcomings without presenting concrete solutions to ensure the availability of suitable office space. While acknowledging a problem is the first step towards resolving it, the reality is that the DPWI is failing the Department of Home Affairs. It is even more concerning that there is an admission that some offices do not comply with occupational health and safety (OHS) standards,” said the Chairperson of the committee, Mr Mosa Chabane.
The committee raised concern that in some cases, such as the Pietermaritzburg DHA office, correspondence and procurement processes have dragged on for 15 years without resolution. The committee also expressed concern about the continued reliance on month-to-month lease agreements with private landlords, which is unsustainable and offers little value for money to client departments. Furthermore, the committee remains troubled by the poor condition of many DHA buildings and the potential hazards posed to members of the public accessing services.
While the committee acknowledged the benefits of relocating some DHA offices to shopping malls, it cautioned that this move may inadvertently place an additional financial burden on poorer communities who must travel further to access services. The committee also warned that the shift of government services away from central business districts contributes to the ongoing decline of these economic centres.
In proposing possible solutions, the committee urged the DPWI to consider granting Section 18 exceptions to the Department of Home Affairs under the Government Immovable Asset Management Act to enable faster response times and clearer accountability. The committee also encouraged the DPWI to prioritise the use of government-owned buildings instead of relying on private rentals. In addition, the committee proposed a infrastructure development model to ensure long-term sustainability and called on the DPWI to attach clear timelines to procurement processes and projects, noting that the current open-ended approach is unsustainable.
Meanwhile, the committee reiterated its concern about chronic understaffing at DHA offices across the three provinces. The committee noted that severe staff shortages have resulted in increased workloads, overworked personnel and excessive overtime. It was informed that the Eastern Cape is operating at only 34% of its staff complement, KwaZulu-Natal at 32%, and the Western Cape at 49%. The committee called for urgent interventions to fill vacant posts in order to improve service delivery.
“The chronic under-capacitation of offices, coupled with frequent system downtime, are the main drivers of the long queues experienced at DHA offices. Urgent solutions are required to alleviate these challenges and improve the efficiency of the department,” Mr Chabane emphasised.
The committee also raised concern that staff shortages are affecting the Early Registration of Birth (ERB) programme, which is the first point of entry into the population register. For example, KwaZulu-Natal currently has only 14 clerks servicing 47 connected healthcare facilities across the province, resulting in many births not being registered within the required 30-day period.
In addition, the committee expressed concern about the large number of uncollected smart ID cards and green bar-coded identity documents at DHA offices. In some instances, green bar-coded IDs remain stored at offices that no longer provide those services. The committee urged the department to consider ward-based collection campaigns in partnership with municipalities to encourage citizens to collect their IDs, particularly given the importance of identification in accessing South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) grants and in the context of an election year. The committee also called for the department to expedite the disposal process for IDs that remain uncollected beyond the stipulated timeframe.
The committee further raised alarm about allegations that the Branch Appointment Booking System is being manipulated, with intermediaries reportedly selling appointment slots. The committee warned that a system designed to improve access to DHA services should not be exploited to the detriment of the public.
“The DHA must urgently implement measures to secure the system and ensure that the public is protected from unscrupulous individuals who seek to exploit it for selfish gain,” Mr Chabane said.
Finally, the committee acknowledges progress made since the visit by the Chairperson to the Atlantis DHA office. New offices have now been secured at the mall and temporary measures put in place to bring mobile trucks every Tuesday and Thursday.
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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