1. The average annual growth of the Department of Home Affairs increases over the 2025 MTEF with 3.8%. See table below. This table is an extract from the 2025 MTEF database as at July 2024.
|
2024/25 Baseline 000’ |
2025/26 Revised baseline |
2026/27 Revised baseline |
2027/28 Revised baseline |
% YoY 2025/26 |
% YoY 2026/27 |
% YoY 2027/28 |
Ave Ann growth History |
Ave Ann growth MTEF |
|
2 534 076 |
2 658 350 |
2 781 725 |
2 907 510 |
4.9% |
4.6% |
4.5% |
-1.3% |
4.7% |
|
3 032 382 |
3 194 253 |
3 329 688 |
3 480 259 |
5.3% |
4.2% |
4.5% |
0.6% |
4.7% |
|
897 023 |
939 734 |
983 360 |
1 027 826 |
4.8% |
4.6% |
4.5% |
-13.6% |
4.6% |
|
4 031 990 |
3 946 484 |
4 132 871 |
4 319 762 |
-2.1% |
4.7% |
4.5% |
18.4% |
2.3% |
|
10 495 471 |
10 738 821 |
11 227 644 |
11 735 357 |
2.3% |
4.6% |
4.5% |
3.6% |
3.8% |
(1)(a) The Department does not plan to cut any programmes or funded initiatives over the MTEF. In respect of the 2024/25 financial year, the expenditure against budget is monitored daily and reprioritisation is performed where required.
As a newly established entity, the Border Management Authority (BMA) has been exempted from the national budget cuts.
(1)(b) The budget priorities and allocations of the Department are guided by the Medium Term Development Plan 2024-2029, the Department’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030, the 2024/25 Annual Performance Plan, and the 2024/25 Annual Operational Plan. The Strategy and Plans give effect to our vision of a digital transformed e-Home Affairs. Activities not aligned to this vision and Plans will not be funded.
2. Although the BMA has been spared from national budget cuts, it is still considerably underfunded with its current budget allocation. As a result, this significant shortfall has adversely affected its ability to fulfil its mandate, hindering efforts to recruit for essential positions, acquire necessary tools, and invest in advanced technologies needed to streamline operations at the Ports of entry and enhance overall efficiency.
(2)(a) The BMA planned to recruit 250 border personnel each year, distributed as follows: 100 border guards, 70 immigration officers, 50 specialists in agriculture, 20 specialists in health, and 10 specialists in environmental functions. However, due to the financial constraints the entity has struggled to adequately capacitate the border management function.
(2)(b) The significant underfunding of the entity has notably hindered its ability to attract and retain skilled and experienced staff. The total approved staffing structure for the BMA comprises 11,115 positions, but as of 31 October 2024, only 2,652 of those positions are filled, resulting in 8,463 vacancies. The current capacity is inadequate to meet the demands at the 71 ports of entry and in border law enforcement operations. As it stands, there are certain areas within the BMA, such as vulnerable segments, support units (Corporate Services), and border law enforcement, are severely understaffed.
(2)(c) Due to budget limitations, training has been restricted to critical and essential programs needed to ensure compliance with relevant legislations. E.g. training of border personnel to ensure compliance with the various applicable law enforcement legislation.
(2)(d) The BMA needs the right tools to effectively carry out its mandate. Investing in these tools will not only improve staff morale but also increase efficiency by streamlining processes. This, in turn, will lead to greater productivity and overall effectiveness for the organization. In FY2023/24, the BMA requested R500 million from the CARA funds to support the acquisition of essential tools. However, only R150 million was approved, leaving a shortfall of R350 million. Consequently, the BMA remains significantly under-resourced in terms of essential equipment and requires additional funding to adequately support its staff and fulfil its national security mandate.
3. The Department and the BMA specifically are not adequately funded to effectively safeguard our borders, the identity of citizens and to regulate immigration to ensure security and economic development. The BMA believes that the current budget allocation is insufficient to fulfil its mandate across the 71 ports of entry. The BMA is currently engaging with the National Treasury to request additional funding. A business case has been submitted to the National Treasury for their review in support of adequately funding the BMA's mandate. The budget shortfalls of the Department and the BMA are highlighted in all our engagements with National Treasury during the MTEF processes. We do understand that the fiscus is constrained and that additional allocations are unlikely to come. In addition to introducing cost containment measures and curbing expenditure, the Department is fortunate in that National Treasury has allowed the Department over the years to use some of the revenue generated by the Department to self-finance some expenditure items such as modernising our offices and printing of passports and identity documents. The self-financing allocations are made annually through the Adjustment Estimates process. The revenue target for the 2024/25 financial year is R1, 6 billion. The Department is in the process of increasing the fees payable for online verification services – this will generate more revenue for the Department and consequently more self-financing for expenditure items. The Department and the BMA are also beneficiaries of CARA (Criminal Assets Recovery Account) funding. In this regard, the Department was allocated R100 million and the BMA R150 million from CARA. Lastly, the Department actively seeks to build partnerships with the banks and other entities in an effort to expand and broaden its footprint and service offerings at no cost to Department.
END.