Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs is to roll out a new queue system at its branches.
Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said ahead of delivering her department's budget vote in Parliament, the new electronic queue management system, which will involve visitors to branches receiving numbers according to their place in a queue, was already being piloted at its Khayelitsha branch.
She said the new system had already helped reduce the time members of the public spent waiting in queues at that branch.
The system would also assist the department by feeding back information such as how long people waited in queues and how many people visited each branch.
In a bid to root out corrupt officials in home affairs, the department would roll out a new biometric log-on system this year, in branches across the country, the minister said.
The system would ensure that a clear paper-trail was created by all officials that accessed the department's computers in processing IDs, passports and the application of birth registration forms.
A new anti-corruption unit within the department and led by the Deputy Director General was being set up and Dlamini-Zuma pointed out that positions were already being advertised for the unit.
The department will also have programmes through learning centre to change the ethos of those working there and to equip them with skills as many come straight out of school with little work experience.
"Sometimes what we consider as rudeness is just a person who is out of their depth and are being defensive," said Dlamini-Zuma.
The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba said a new learning academy was already registered as learning site and the department was now awaiting accreditation.
During the course of the year the department would train immigration management services and customer service training - training for front office officials, supervisors and management.
Gigaba said the department had discussed with Business Unity South Africa (Busa) about the possibility of getting banks to assist the department in training officials.
Dlamini-Zuma said the department was working on getting a system for procurement and asset management and adjudication for tenders in place and was hoping to receive a clean audit by 2012.
"It's a tall order, but that's what we are working towards," said Dlamini-Zuma.
