Department of Home Affairs on 4 Quarter 15/16 & 1 Quarter 16/17 performance

Meeting report

Briefing by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) on expenditure and performance for 4th Quarter of 2015/16 and 1st Quarter of 2016/17
The delegation from the DHA comprised of amongst others Mr Mkuseli Apleni, Director General; Mr Jackson McKay, Deputy Director General: Immigration Service; Mr Gordon Hollamby, Deputy Director General: Finance & Supply Chain Management; Mr Vusumuzi Mkhize, Deputy Director General: Civic; and Mr Samual Maudiwana, the Parliamentary Liaison Officer.

Mr Apleni undertook the briefing. In the interest of time he stated that he would speak more to targets that the DHA had not achieved. Mr Hollamby was tasked with speaking to the DHA’s budget and expenditure figures.

4th Quarter of 2015/16
The DHA had a total of 42 targets planned for the Quarter and a total of 33 (79%) were achieved with the remainder of 9 (21%) being not achieved. The Committee was provided with a breakdown of performance per programme as per the Quarter. The non-achievement figures were Administration Programme 17%, Citizen Affairs Programme 20% and Immigration Affairs (including Border Management Agency) Programme 29%. Members were also given insight into progress against objectives for January-March 2016. A total of 683 530 Identity Document (ID) Smart Cards were issued to citizens 16 years of age and above. In addition, 69 903 IDs (first issue) were issued within 54 days and 51 468 IDs (re-issue) were issued in 47 working days.
 
Major challenges January-March 2016 in the civic environment
Birth registration targets were not achieved as births at health facilities that took place after hours, weekends and on holidays were not registered, being outside official hours and because no DHA staff were deployed to those facilities. Registrations also did not take place as mothers were uninformed that birth registrations should take place within 30 days. Another challenge was capacity constraints that the DHA faced at local offices and health facilities.

Major challenges in the immigration environment
Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 performance was affected by the shifting of officials from IDs to assist with administrative functions related to the handover of Refugee Reception Office (RRO) functions from provinces to the ASM Head Office. The process for issuing identity and travel documents for refugees had been largely manual and slow but was being addressed by moving the function to the mainstream civic services branch where they would be processed using the same systems as any other clients. The Department continued to experience capacity constraints in the area of appeals and the intention was to move appeals from missions to the Foreign Office Coordination Chief Directorate to deal with bottlenecks. Another challenge was that the Permanent Residence Permit (PRP) adjudication team at level 6 had stopped adjudicating as they were not appointed adjudicators. The verification of Permanent Residence (PR) for naturalisation was a challenge and delayed the naturalisation process.
The Committee was provided with preliminary figures on the budget and expenditure as at 31 March 2016. These figures had not yet been audited. The Department had spent 100% of its budget. Figures were also provided on revenue collected.

1st Quarter of 2016/17
Of a total of 38 targets planned for the Quarter 31 targets were achieved, representing an 82% achievement rate, thus 7 (18%) targets remained not achieved. The Committee was once again provided with figures on performance as per programme. The non-achievement figures were Administration Programme 21%, Citizen Affairs Programme-0% and Immigration Affairs Programme 22%. Members were also given insight into progress against objectives for April-June 2016. In the civic services environment, a total of 190 440 births were registered within 30 days during the review period. The DHA had done birth registrations on Saturdays at high volume health facilities. In addition, 719 178 Identity Document (ID) Smart Cards were issued to citizens 16 years of age and above. Furthermore 63 223 IDs (first issue) were issued within 54 days and 43 872 IDs (re-issue) were issued in 47 working days. There was a drive by the Department to encourage the public to apply for Smart ID Cards in preparation for the 2016 local government elections. On the immigration side 98% of business and general work visa applications had been finalised within 8 weeks. Also 96% of critical skills work visa applications were finalised within 4 weeks.
 
Operational challenges identified in the immigration environment as reported in the Quarter
Resource constraints remained a serious challenge and hampered operations and service delivery. Key cost drivers were the Advance Passenger Processing System and transport.  There were efforts to stabilise the National Immigration Information System (NIISS) through the full refreshment of the current NIIS infrastructure and software. The DHA had started a pilot in Marabastad, Pretoria. Another operational challenge was the Department’s dependency on lease agreements with Transnet National Ports Authority which prevented the completion of site visits to selected ports of entry. There were furthermore problems on the non-integration of old and new movement systems i.e. Movement Control System (MCS) and the Enhanced Movement Control System (eMCS). Hits on the eMCS were reflected as MCS hits on the Ports Operations Centre. The Committee was provided with insight into planned targets versus actual achievement for the Quarter for each of the DHA’s Programmes.
 
The Committee was provided with budget versus expenditure figures for the Quarter. The total budget sat at R7.1bn. Total expenditure for the Quarter was R2.1bn which amounted to 29.6% of total budget. The Department should be spending 25.0% of its budget for the Quarter. The high spending was attributed to self-financing expenditure, the Annual Performance Plan (APP) and Legal Services. Figures were also provided on revenue collected for the Quarter.

Discussion
The Chairperson at the outset of the meeting asked the DHA to speak to the vetting of its officials.

Mr Apleni explained that the DHA implemented vetting as was prescribed. Vetting was not a requirement when officials were appointed. After the person had the job the DHA handed in the vetting documents. The problem was that the Department sometimes had to wait three years for a response. In some instances, it even took four years to get a response. What was the DHA expected to do? Would the Department be expected to give the person notice to leave the DHA after so many years in a particular post? The DHA would present the Refugee Amendment Bill before Parliament. It was unacceptable that the vetting process took so long. The challenge arose after forms were handed in to the Department of Intelligence Services.

The Chairperson asked how self-financing happened, how was it done?

Mr Hollamby explained that the DHA had to project what it wished to spend. The projected spend was presented to National Treasury for the current financial year. This spend was more on things like office layouts etc. but not on compensation of employees.

The Chairperson asked why the DHA was cutting down on the compensation of employees.

Mr Apleni said cutting down on compensation of employees did not only apply to the DHA but other government departments as well. In January 2016 the decision was taken for the country. The justification was to prevent SA’s credit rating to be downgraded. Each government department was given a ceiling to which its compensation of employees’ expenditure was limited to. The DHA ceiling for 2016/17 was R3.146bn. Where an employee resigned the DHA was not allowed to fill the post as currently its expenditure was not within the ceiling. He gave the example of a DHA manager at OR Tambo International Airport who had resigned in November 2015 and by June 2016 the post had still not been filled. Currently there was thus no DHA manager at OR Tambo International Airport. The person doing the work was doing so on a voluntary basis. A person could not be appointed on an acting basis as the vacant post was not a funded post. The issue was being discussed with National Treasury.

The Chairperson said the debate for the inclusion of the DHA in the security cluster of government departments needed to continue.

Mr M Hoosen (DA) felt it a very serious situation that the DHA could not hire new staff or fill vacated posts. This was besides the fact that there was a directive to all departments to curb its staff complement expenditure within a ceiling that had been set. He felt the Committee needed to express its views strongly via the Minister of Home Affairs that the Department should not be hampered to perform its operational tasks. The DHA needed to have the tools to do its job. He was glad that progress had been made on Permanent Residence (PR) permits and that things were being automated. There were problems associated with adjudications and appeals on PR permits. The DHA was asked what its plan was going forward. He asked what the turnaround times on PR permits were. On registration of new births, he understood there was a lack of resources at hospitals. This gap had been a problem for a long time. If new births could not be captured at hospitals what was the DHA’s long term plan to remedy the issue? He understood that the DHA did not as yet issue Smart Identity Documents to naturalised citizens as a means of a cleaning up processes. He asked when the clean-up process was to be completed. The DHA was asked where the process was on the rollout of Smart Identity Cards at banks.

Mr Apleni responded that the DHA was working hard on cleaning the system. The issue was once again a lack of resources. Once the National Information Service (NIS) was online it would be a great help. It would most probably take another 2-3 years. Rollout was at banks in Gauteng and at one bank in the Western Cape. There were concerns about security, hence the process was taken slowly. The banks were not working on the DHA’s systems in the banks. The Department needed to employ people to be deployed at banks. To date 52 persons had been employed and the intention was to employ a further 8 persons as supervisors. However, the DHA faced constraints. It was a learning curve for the DHA. By the end of 2016 the DHA would have a better idea on the process ahead regarding banks and Smart Identity Cards. The Department faced challenges on staff.    

Mr McKay conceded that in the past the DHA had performed badly on the processing of permanent residences. The Department had however worked through it as more capacity was acquired. He noted that 94% of permanent residences were adjudicated within 8 months but more so within 4 months. For business permits and critical skills, the turnaround time for permanent residences was 3 months, which was in line with the goals of the National Development Plan. Applications relating to categories such as spouses, relatives and dependants took longer. With these types of applications there was high risk of fraud. An example was marriages of convenience that were taking place. There was also fraud where dependants or relatives were not who they claimed to be. He emphasised that there were serious constraints on resources. He only had eighteen staff members that dealt with permanent residence applications. The same staff members also had to handle adjudications. He said that there was no way that he could cut down on his staff as they were already spread thin. He pointed out that there were many fraudulent applications as people used false documents. There was therefore a high rejection rate which meant that there were high appeal numbers. Unfortunately, he only had 6 staff members to deal with it.

Ms D Raphuti (ANC) noted that she received constant phone calls congratulating the DHA on its good work. She asked why mothers were uninformed about birth registrations. Departments should be used to get the message across to communities. The Department of Health was an obvious choice but the Departments of Education and Social Welfare for instance should also be used. She asked what the issues were around the PR permit adjudication team at level 6 stopping adjudicating due to them not being appointed adjudicators. She asked who controlled the revenue fund that the Director General had referred to and how was the fund going to assist. She asked whether the finger printing of dead persons to confirm identities would be practical. She agreed that reduction in the compensation of employees was not the solution. The practice was on the verge of unlawful labour practices. She felt it unfair towards the DHA and its employees.

Mr Apleni responded that the fingerprinting of the dead was the only manner to confirm the identity of the deceased. Undertakers taking the fingerprints would be registered. Once the fingerprint was taken it would be captured immediately.

Ms N Mnisi (ANC) pointed out that it was clear that the DHA was putting in greater efforts and thanked the Department for its efforts during the 2016 local government elections. The DHA was asked to unpack what the nature of the backlog at missions on appeals was. What incentives or penalties were there to ensure that targets of the DHA were met? Given the capacity limitations at local offices and health facilities she asked what plans were in place to ensure to address the problem. She asked how many offices still had to get the live capture system. She also asked how far the feasibility study on the improvement of infrastructure at border posts was.

Mr Apleni stated that there were no incentives given to officials for the reaching of targets. Government did not provide incentives. There were no bonuses given. There were however consequences for not meeting targets. Capacity in the Department was an issue and there were financial constraints. Infrastructure of offices was a difficulty, hence the DHA called on banks to assist. The idea was even to call in the assistance of the SA Post Office 

Mr A Figlan (DA) asked whether a first time applicant for an Identity Document could apply for a Smart Card. He said asked if missions were used to alleviate bottlenecks did missions have the necessary capacity to do so? The DHA was asked what other strategies it had to fill the gaps that were there on the registration of births. He noted that hospitals had details of patients. Why could such information not be used?

Mr Apleni confirmed that a first time applicant could apply for a Smart Card Identity Document. The DHA had fifteen staff members deployed to missions.

Mr McKay said that there was fifteen DHA staff deployed at missions. Appeals were even done at missions. A priority was to do well with permanent residence applications.

Mr D Gumede (ANC) agreed that compliments were forthcoming on the good work that the DHA was doing. He noted that the Committee recognised the efforts of the Department but expected the DHA to perform even better. Achievement of targets should be 100%. Awareness of new birth registrations could be done at prenatal clinics. This could be done by the handing out of pamphlets or speaking on the matter. On the meeting of targets were there incentives or penalties? He pointed out that on household services expenditure projections were too high. It needed attention.   

Mr Holland said that the issue of household services would get attention. Adequate allocations for households would be made.

The Chairperson shared the disappointment felt by members on the crippling of the DHA to do its job by way of curbing its compensation of employees. The DHA needed to get special recognition for the type of work that it did. The general reduction of staff could apply to other departments. The DHA did critical work. The Committee needed to express its disappointment. The Committee did not reject the general call for reduction of staff of departments. He asked whether it was possible for a DHA staff member to go to hospitals to collect data on new births. This would be up until a system could be put in place. The DHA was asked what the progress at banks was on the issuing of Smart Identity Cards. What were the figures? The Department was asked to provide the Committee with a report in its next meeting. He agreed that posters and pamphlets at prenatal clinics on the registration of births could assist with awareness. The Department was also asked to provide the Committee with a report on figures on the number of persons who had become naturalised citizens. It would shed light on the pattern that was emerging.

Mr Apleni thanked Members for their kind words. He conceded that the issue of funding was a huge concern for the DHA. Unfortunately, the DHA had to abide with what it was instructed to do. On naturalised persons the Department no longer issued certificates. The naturalisation was now done in court in front of a judge. The DHA would provide the Committee with figures on naturalisations.

Mr Mkhize stated that the DHA realised that there was a huge gap in new birth registrations. The DHA was finalising the process on research that was being done on the impact of the Department’s implementation strategies. Why were people not registering births within 30 days? The DHA felt it needed an objective view. On awareness and communication, the DHA had a signage programme. Signage was put up in hospitals and clinics. There was also a Mom Connect Project at prenatal clinics. The youth of the DHA had voluntarily come forward to assist with backlogs. The issue was that resources were needed to close gaps. Provinces deployed staff to hospitals. The DHA had also approached Hospital Association of SA (HASA) to deal with Netcare Emergency Services on Public Private Partnerships (PPPs). On Smart Card Identity Documents there had been 39 000 applications at banks thus far. Of the 39 000 applications 22 000 had been concluded. A total of 12 bank branches was on board. Banks were also engaged on PPP. 

Mr Holland added that the DHA would have a feasibility study by the end of 2016.

The Chairperson pointed out that in Quarter 1 already there were certain items that were close to 50% expenditure. He suggested that the DHA keep a closer eye on expenditure per quarter. The Committee would try to find ways of communicating its feelings through the Minister to National Treasury on the fact that the DHA should not be constrained in its ability to do its work. On the registration of births within 30 days the DHA needed to find interim solutions. The Committee overall was satisfied with the performance of the DHA. He urged the DHA to strive for 100% of targets to be achieved. The achievement of targets however had to be qualitative.

The meeting was adjourned.