Home Affairs clears 50% of decade-long backlog in 3 months

In the last three months, the Department of Home Affairs has cleared 50% of its 306,000 visa backlog, as well as other permits.

This is in part due to the Department of Public Service and Administration approving overtime for Home Affairs staff.

Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber said:

“They are some of the most important people in South Africa. The work they do is directly enabling our economy.”

“They are really demonstrating what Home Affairs is capable of.”

Schreiber says this backlog has been building for more than 10 years.

He adds that this team have been eagerly working weekends and overtime to finally end the backlog.

Schreiber says support from the workstreams the President set up with Business Unity South Africa have also made a huge difference with supplying training and resources.

Moving forward, he says they need to transform Home Affairs into the digital age, as some of these paper applications are extremely difficult to trace.

Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber also said:

“The real test will come with the systemic reforms that are required.”

“If we can get Home Affairs working, we will restore the hope that South Africa itself can work.”

–EWN

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