Question NW3955 to the Minister of Home Affairs
24 November 2022 - NW3955
Van Zyl, Ms A M to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)What are the details, including addresses, of the Home Affairs offices situated in the municipal area of the Walter Sisulu Local Municipality; (2) whether the offices are fully staffed; if not, what (a) is the plan to staff the offices and (b) are the time frames of filling the vacant posts; (3) whether the internet works optimally at the offices; if not, why not; if so, what (a) is done when there is load shedding and (b) are his department’s plans to ensure that services are not interrupted by load shedding; (4) whether the phone lines are functional at the offices; if not, what are the time frames regarding the date it is envisaged that the phone lines will be fixed; (5) whether he has found that there are any other specified services that are not rendered and/or delivered at the offices; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what (a) plans are in place to ensure that the services will be delivered and (b) is the frequency of service of the mobile office to towns that are not serviced by offices?
Reply:
1. The Department of Home Affairs has two offices in the municipal area and they are Aliwal North, Local Office Medium situated at number 18 Hunt Street Aliwal North 9750 and Burgersdorp Local Office Small, No.31 Van Der Walt Street, Burgersdorp 9744,
2. Offices are not fully staffed and there is a capacitation programme currently underway to fund vacancies but all posts for office managers have been allocated funds. The Aliwal North office has appointed one Civic Service Supervisor who assumed duties as from the 1st September 2022. There is one vacant funded post of Civic Service Supervisor for Burgersdorp which emanated from the current recruitment process and will be filled soon.
3. The State Information Technology Agency (SITA) is making an investment to improve internet connectivity at DHA offices and both offices have generators that are used during load-shedding to ensure that services are not interrupted.
4. There are temporary telephone lines for Aliwal North Local Office Medium with the following numbers: 051 633 3317, 051 633 2118, 051 633 2883,051 633 2281 and they are functional. Permanent lines will be installed once Telkom is done with the migration to fibre-lines.
5. Inspectorate Services are not done at the Burgersdorp Local Office Small, due to the size of the office. At the Aliwal North Local Office Medium, recruitment for Immigration officials has started in phases. (a) The Immigration Officials of the Sterkspruit Local Office Medium, have an Itinerary that covers Senqu Local Municipality, and Walter Sisulu Local Municipality. (b)A monthly itinerary for the mobile units is drawn to service towns with no DHA footprint.
END