Question NW2369 to the Minister of Home Affairs
28 June 2022 - NW2369
Van Minnen, Ms BM to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
Whether he has been informed of the apparent ongoing victimisation of a member of the public at the Home Affairs Office in Somerset West who had to queue seven times for hours at a time to collect an identity document only to be barred by the security guard every time from entering the building and eventually gained access via another door in order to be assisted by the staff inside on 14 March 2022; if not, what is the position in this regard, if so, (2) Whether the alleged victimising staff member will be facing consequence management; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The Department of Home Affairs does not condone such conduct by our outsourced security guards. It remains the responsibility of the Office Manager to communicate with clients and grant access. It should be noted that the Department has an immediate complaint resolution process which might be used by clients to escalate and report the conduct of employees to senior managers immediately. It is to this end that a photograph and contact details of the Office Manager, District Manager and the Provincial Manager are displayed in all our front offices. Contact details are also available from the DHA website. The Department has no record of any formal complaint lodged on or after 14 March 2022 related to the mentioned scenario. The matter was however raised with the Office Manager and the security guards. The Department will however be in a better position to launch a formal investigation once a complaint is lodged by the applicant or representative.
2. Once a formal complaint is received, the Department will then launch an investigation, and apply the necessary consequence management, should the perpetrator be found guilty of committing such an offence.
END