Parliament, Wednesday, 18 June 2025 – In its meeting with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and Border Management Authority (MBA) yesterday, to consider the revised annual and strategic plans for the 2025/26 financial year, the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs expressed its deep concern over the continued underfunding of the BMA which it said diminishes the ability of the Authority to implement its mandate as the cybersecurity roadmap of the Authority remains unfunded.
The Authority has not received funding to undertake lifestyle audits for all its employees and that presents an area of risk, especially in the context of the environment in which the entity operates. The committee had previously highlighted the importance of frequent lifestyle audits as a means to ensure adherence to ethical standards within the ports of entry and as a mechanism to repel possible acts of corruption and fraud.
Meanwhile, the committee has urged the department to accelerate the filling of the vacant position of the Deputy Director-General: ICT, which the committee considers critical to effectively drive the department's digital transformation process.
“Digital transformation of the DHA has been identified as a critical pillar of the strategic plan, and having a dedicated leader will ensure close focus, especially in the context of complexities and cybersecurity risks within the environment. While the committee acknowledged the secondment of an ICT official from the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the intervention is not permanent,” said Mr Mosa Chabane, the Chairperson of the committee.
The committee welcomed the progress made in the digitisation of paper-based records within the department, a process that started in the 6th administration by Minister Aaron Motsoaledi. The committee urged the department to make funding that will add value to the digitisation process to ensure that it delivers the expected results.
The committee has also highlighted that the perennial challenge of long queues and extended downtime of departmental systems requires a skilled and dedicated individual within the ICT sector to develop innovative intervention strategies and solutions. The committee reiterated that the recent announcement allowing government departments to procure IT services from private service providers, calls for qualitative and impeccable services rendered to the people.
In line with this, the committee has resolved to schedule another meeting next week with the DHA to discuss a way forward regarding challenges at the State Information Technology Agency and at the department’s ICT.
The committee welcomed the capacitation of the department’s legal unit, following the recommendation it made previously. It has emphasised that litigation against the department was worrisome, and the contingent liabilities as a result of litigation were draining needed resources away from necessary service delivery interventions.
The committee welcomed the department’s commitment and revision of the deadline for the department to table the White Paper of Citizenship, Immigration and Refugee Protection, which aims to provide a broad policy framework and certainty on current immigration challenges. Following the recent interaction with the department, the committee recommended that the target be brought forward to 2027 to ensure that the country has policy certainty on the broad and complex immigration challenges facing the country.
“The adoption of the committee’s recommendation by the department is a realisation of the urgency of the white paper and the need to have policy and legislative certainty going forward. The committee has called on the executive to act with urgency to table the White Paper within the agreed timeframes,” Mr Chabane emphasised.
The committee has also urged the department to continue extending sufficient funding for its counter-corruption unit because of the impact it is making in fighting fraud and corruption within the department. The committee reiterated its view that the unit is making a meaningful contribution to safeguarding the credibility of the country’s documentation.
“The major headway the unit has made in breaking racket that fraudulently sells the department’s documents must be protected and promoted. The unit must be properly resourced, both in human capacity and technological tools of trade,” Mr Chabane emphasised.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON HOME AFFAIRS, MR MOSA CHABANE.
For media enquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the Committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Malatswa Molepo (Mr)
Parliamentary Communication Services
Tel: 021 403 8438
Cell: 081 512 7920
E-mail: mmolepo@parliament.gov.za
Arrange a tour