Question NW85 to the Minister of Home Affairs

Reply:

Yes, the Minister of Home Affairs entered into a performance agreement with President JG Zuma for the 2014-2019 term of office.

a) The following key indicators and targets from the MTSF are reflected in the agreement:

• Establish the Integrated Border Management Agency (BMA).

• Develop an Over-arching Strategy to defend, protect, secure and ensure well-managed borders and ensure it is fully implemented by 2018/19.

• Ensure that registration at birth is the only entry point for SA to the new national identity system (NIS):
• By 2018/19, 90% of total births registered within 30 calendar days as prescribed by law (approximately 950 000 births to be registered by 2018/19).
• Ensure that systems are in place to enable the capturing of biometric data of all travellers who enter or exit SA legally:
  • All designated ports of entry equipped with biometric systems capable of processing 100% of travellers (for ports equipped with EMCS) by 2018/19.

• Reduce regulatory burdens and reduce the time required for importing requisite skills for the economy and for investment, including by introducing a “one stop shop” at government level: 
  • Changes to subsidiary legislation on immigration to facilitate the importation of economic important skills and for workers as identified by economics and infrastructure departments, SOCs and producers.

• Maximum period for approval to import required skills:
  • 3 months approval from application to approval for import of skills for productive investors and SOCs.

• Improved feedback opportunities for citizens and other service users:
  • Improvements in facilities based on repeat monitoring and feedback.

b) No formal performance assessments have been undertaken but the MTSF indicators and targets in the agreement are monitored through departmental reports to clusters, cabinet memoranda and through Minister’s bilateral with the President

c) Refer to attached table marked Annexure A for progress against MTSF priorities.

d) The environment and the complexity of issues within which the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has to function in the implementation of key priorities such as the immigration policy and Border Management Agency is a highly contested one. Also the perception is that the DHA is a purely administrative department. Without recognising the need for the DHA to function within a highly secure environment this can be an obstacle. This has also exacerbated the historical under-funding of the DHA over time.

e) In order to address some of the challenges the Department will be developing a business case to reposition the DHA as a highly secure, professional and modern department. Some of the key priorities include the following:

• Completion of the Modernisation Programme with the main deliverables being integrated digital systems and re-engineered processes managed and protected by the required compliment of effective professionals.
• Upgrading of key ports of entry focusing on the piloting of a new model with significant improvements in respect of infrastructure, processes and leadership.
• Comprehensive review of the Immigration Policy culminating in the approval of a Green Paper and White Paper and new comprehensive legislation drafted.
• Improving client experience through leadership – the Moetapele programme.
• Improved stakeholder consultation and forging of partnerships with the private sector to deliver on key departmental priorities, for example signing of memoranda of understandings with the banking sector for issuance of smart ID cards and passports.