Question NW3005 to the Minister of Home Affairs
17 October 2023 - NW3005
Van Minnen, Ms BM to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1)Whether, given that several questions have already been asked about the poor service offered at his department’s office located in Main Road, Somerset West, Western Cape, but there has been no change and problems are continuing, any progress has been made with regard to dealing with the very bad service offered by the specified office; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) what are the reasons that the queues continue to be so bad that people are queuing overnight to access the office, despite the office allegedly working on an appointment system; (3) whether any progress has been made regarding the issue of assisting the elderly and handicapped people to gain access into to the building; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The following progress has been made:
-
-
- A civic supervisor was appointed who monitors service delivery and the process to clear the long queues.
- A staff member is designated to manage the queues daily.
- The prioritised categories of clients for example, persons with disabilities, the aged (senior citizens) and mothers with babies are referred into the office.
- The office utilizes all possible back office staff to assist at counters during the mornings in order to expedite quicker service to awaiting clients
- The supervisor also assists the team dealing with client queries and complaints. Complaints received are escalated within the office management structure. If not resolved it is escalated to the district and provincial level where necessary.
- Internal formal disciplinary processes are followed where there are complaints against staff not performing or assisting clients properly. There is 1 formal disciplinary matter currently at this office.
- The Somerset-West office now also provides for late registrations of births for all categories. Immigration services are also now rendered at this office.
-
2. The office is not aware of clients queueing overnight. It must be noted that the building is shared with the Department of Employment and Labour and that 1 entrance is used for both. Often clients assume that all awaiting clients are there for the DHA services, which inflates the numbers. It has been stated that DHA queues are demarcated and separated according to services into separate queues in order to assist clients as speedily as possible. The office is obliged to assist clients who made bookings and still seeks to assist as many walk-in clients as possible. The Booking system is advertised with posters and during the mornings an official assist and advise client to use the booking system. Some clients opt however to wait to be served as a walk-in.
3. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities are under the categories of clients who are prioritised. These clients report at the entrance and are assisted by officials in a prioritised manner. The Office has a ramp used by clients who have mobility challenges and assistance is afforded by staff and security officials to enter the office.
END