What number of (a) calls and/or queries to the Home Affairs Call Centre that is contactable on 0800601190 are successfully answered and resolved on average (i) in each (aa) day, (bb) week and (cc) month, (ii) in the past year and (iii) since 1 January 2023 and (b) officials are employed at the specified call centre?
(a)(i) The number of calls to the Home Affairs Contact Centre toll-free number: 0800601190 received during 2022 are as follows:
aa) Daily average calls for the period under question is 2647 calls
bb) Weekly average calls answered for the period is 12828
cc) Monthly calls answered, cases created and resolved are as below
|
Month
|
Calls Answered
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Cases Created
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Cases Resolved
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Percentage Resolved
|
|
Jan-22
|
41474 ... |
Whether he intends to pursue criminal charges against the Director for Appeals, Major Kobese, who was dismissed on charges of exerting pressure on the officials of the department to process and issue visas and permits in breach of the applicable laws and/or regulations and/or standard procedures applicable within the department, allowing outside and/or private individuals and/or interests to unduly control and influence him in the execution of his duties, and having engaged in grossly inappropriate conduct including paying a bribe; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
The Department is currently assessing available evidence, including evidence led in the disciplinary matter ultimately leading to the dismissal of Mr Kobese and will refer any evidence pointing to the commission of a crime to the relevant law enforcement agencies, in due course. It is envisaged that this analysis will be completed by the end of April 2023, and the necessary referral, if any, ...
(1)Whether the SA Revenue Service laid a criminal complaint with the SA Police Service in terms of section 15 of the Customs and Excise Act, Act 91 of 1964, read with section 34(2) of the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act, Act 12 of 2004, against the traveller, Mr Hazim Mustafa, for failing to declare his possession of currency which is an offence in terms of section 81 of the specified Customs and Excise Act; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) whether the passport of the specified person will be or has been flagged at all ports of entry to the Republic; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. The Honourable member is requested to direct this question to the relevant authority, namely the South African Revenue Services.
2. The relevant law enforcement authorities did not request the Department to flag Mr Hazim Mustafa’s passport, consequently, the Department is not in a legal position to flag his passport.
END
(1)With regard to the 22 Afghan nationals who have allegedly been granted permission to enter the Republic to seek asylum, (a) how long will it take his department to adjudicate their claim for asylum and (b) what are the time frames;
(2) how long does it take on average from when a person enters the Republic to when they are informed that their claim for asylum has been successful or not;
(3) what (a) total number of refugees are currently residing within the borders of the Republic and (b) are the details of the countries that the refugees come from;
(4) (a) what is the current backlog in terms of finalising applications for asylum, (b) what total number of asylum applications are turned down annually, (c) how does his department ensure that those who have had their asylum applications rejected, leave the Republic and (d) what total number of deportations have taken place in each of the past 10 years;
(5) whether his department has found that the asylum seekers simply stay on illegally because his department does not have the capacity to identify, apprehend and/or deport illegal migrants; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the further relevant details?
(1)(a) The department strives to conclude all asylum applications with immediate effect. However, each case is informed by its complexities, the need to conduct research, consult other institutions or further investigations do affect finalization.
(1(b) Same as above.
(2) Same as question 1(a) response.
(3)(a) According to the NIIS which is the system used by the department to record refugees, there are 129 325 ...
Whether, with reference to his reply to question 626 on 16 March 2023, that the visa and permit applications management tender was cancelled, any amounts were paid to Kelotlhoko Consulting Services; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) have the amounts been recovered and (b) what is the progress and timelines for a reissue of the tender?
a) No payments were made to Kelotlhoko Consulting Services. The successful bid was cancelled before any contract could be signed with Kelotlhoko Consulting Services.
b) The tender was re-advertised on the 10th of March 2023 with a closing date of 31st March 2023.
END
(1) What total number of banks currently provide the Home Affairs services;
(2) whether, there are plans to expand services to more banks; if not; why not in each case; if so, what total number of additional banks are expected to provide services in 2023?
1. Currently there are 28 bank branches which provide Home Affairs services.
2. Yes, however there are engagements underway with BASA (Banking Association of South Africa) regarding the expansion of services to more banks.
END
In light of the fact that there are far too many non-citizens with fake Identity Documents (IDs), fake passports of which his department has been made aware that illegal foreign nationals are printing their own fake documents, his admission that up to 40% of all visas his department issue could be fake, including study, work and investment visas, the Republic has now been greylisted by the Financial Action Task Force, it is possible that illegal businesses run by illegal foreign nationals in the Republic are funding terrorist organisations, what action has he and/or his department taken in conjunction with the National Treasury and the Department of Justice and Correctional Services to combat and prevent illicit financial flows?
Operationally, the National Joints Operations (NATJOINTS) structure, which is chaired by the South African Police Services (SAPS), is responsible to coordinate the preventative and responsive actions of the justice and security cluster. The Department, through its Immigration Inspectorate, is represented in the NATJOINTS and participates in the joint operations that are conducted by law enforcement agencies to deal with crime countrywide. These operations are ...
(1)Whether he instructed officials of his department to implement the recommendations of the report emanating from the investigation conducted by Nexia SAB&T (details furnished); if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
(2) what are the reasons that it has taken almost a year to action disciplinary processes against the implicated officials of whom one has since retired;
(3) whether the retired official will face any consequences; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
1. Yes, officials from the Department have been instructed to implement the recommendations from the investigative report. As such, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated.
2. The reasons for the delays were varied. The main reason was that the contract between the Department and Nexia SAB&T had lapsed. This required the Department to enter into a new arrangement with SAB&T to provide expert witness testimony ...
With regard to the collapse of the ceiling at the Byron Place Home Affairs office in February 2023, what (a) is the maintenance arrangement with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure and the owners of the specified office building to ensure that offices of his department are safe workspaces and (b) systems are in place for tracking maintenance-related complaints submitted by the Home Affairs offices?
a) n terms of clause 11.2 (read with clauses 13.1 and 13.2) of the Lease Agreement between the Department of Public Works and the landlord, the landlord at Byron’s Place is responsible for the normal maintenance and repairs of both the interior and exterior of the premises. To this end, the landlord carries out inter alia the following maintenance, repairs and servicing, at the ...
In view of the fact that one of the greatest issues plaguing our Home Affairs system are the IT systems which are pivotal to online data capturing and efficiency at branches, what (a)(i) date was the last time that the IT system at Home Affairs branches was upgraded and (ii) did that upgrade/maintenance consist of, (b) quantity of our current documentation in paper format has been transferred into a digital format, (c) security measures have been added to the decaying IT system to ensure the protection of citizens’ personal data/information and (d)(i) are the most recent statistics captured to show the number of times the system goes down at various branches nationwide and (ii) are the most common causes for the system reboots/shut downs?
(a)(i) The system for processing of IDs and Passports was upgraded on 03-05 February 2023.
(a)(ii) The release was introducing the web based system for processing of ID Cards and Passports and doing bug fixes.
b) The quantity of documents transferred into digital format is 3 175 442.
c) The Department has implemented the Biometric Access Control Management (BACM) to control access to sensitive ...
