Minister's plans to modernise Home Affairs

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Cape Town – Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba says developing a new cadre of professional officials, modernising the department and contributing to economic growth are top on his list of priorities.

The Minister is expected to table his Budget Vote speech today, along with several other departments, including  Mineral Resources, Justice and Correctional Services, Human Settlements, Transport and the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) – at the National Assembly.

The budget votes are tabled to reveal the department’s strategic plan of action for the financial year ahead.

Briefing journalists at the Imbizo Centre in Parliament, Minister Gigaba said service delivery was top of his list, and that his department would pull out all the stops to ensure that the department carries out its duties “effectively”.

“Government objectives, including the National Development Plan (NDP), require that Home Affairs deliver effectively on its core mission to enhance the nation’s security, and enable socio-economic development.

“The [department] is dedicated to fulfilling its mission of determining and safeguarding the identity and status of all citizens, and regulating immigration to ensure security, promote development and fulfil our international obligations,” he said.

He said part of the department’s priorities for the 2014/15 financial year included:

  • Producing a secured South African citizenship and identity;
  • Modernising Home Affairs;
  • Establishing a secured and responsive immigration system;
  • Contributing to economic development and tourism; and
  • Developing a cadre of professional, committed officials through learning and development.

The Minister said the speech would also highlight major achievements of the past year and also address major developments going forward.

“This includes programmes of work being undertaken by the department, as well as policy development focus areas,” he said.

Minister Gigaba said the task of ensuring development of Home Affairs employees would no longer be left to the Director-General and the Deputy Director-General of the department.

He said the department’s Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan would now oversee a process of having staffers at the forefront of service delivery being taken through a leadership academy to enhance their courtesy, professionalism and skills. – SAnews.gov.za