NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 1105 / NW1227E
DATE OF PUBLICATION: Friday, 01 April 2011
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 10 of 2011
Ms A T Lovemore (DA) to ask the Minister of Home Affairs:
(1) With reference to her Departmentâs 2011/12 to 2013/14 Strategic Plan,
why has (a) the turnaround time for issuing permanent residentsâ
permits increased from 6 month in the 2009/10 financial year to 8
months in the 2010/11 financial year, (b) the turnaround time for
issuing temporary residence permits increased from 4 weeks in the
2009/10 financial year to 16 weeks in the 2010/11 financial year and
(c) the turnaround time for the second issuing of identity documents
increased from 40 days in the 2009/10 financial year to 47 days in the
2010/11 financial year;
(2) why does the Strategic Plan not indicate any improvement on the
2009/10 turnaround times referred to for the years 2011/12 to 2013/14?
NW1227E
REPLY:
(1)(a)&(b) In November 2010 the Department undertook a process to
completely transform, and stabilise the issuance of permits to
foreign nationals. It must, however, be known that we have to
take into account security, as well, and not, just, speed.
(1)(c) With respect to identity documents, relatively, small
fluctuations in turnaround times are to be expected. This is,
usually, due to short-term operational challenges, or the
introduction of new processes, such as those aimed at
strengthening security. The overall trend, regarding turnaround
times, over the medium, has been upwards.
(2) The Department adjusted the turnaround times in the 2011/12 to
2013/14 Strategic Plan to 8 months for permanent residence
permit applications, and 16 weeks for temporary residence permit
applications, respectively, as a result of the new centralised
adjudication process.
Similarly, the turnaround times of identity documents have,
also, been adjusted in the Departmentâs 2011/12 to 2013/14
Strategic Plan, as a result of specialised operational
procedures, and security enhanced processes. Therefore, it is
due to the current procedures, and in the interest of ensuring
maximum quality, and security enhancement.