NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 2168
DATE OF PUBLICATION: Friday, 6 November 2009
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 27 OF 2009
Mrs J F Terblanche (DA) to ask the Minister of Home Affairs:
(1) Whether, with reference to the 2008-09 annual report of her
department, she intends taking any steps against inefficiencies and
the lack of audit trails in her department; if not, why not; if so,
what are the relevant details;
(2) whether she has or will take any steps to prevent a recurrence of
these incidents; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant
details;
(3) whether the turnaround strategy has had any positive impact on her
department; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
NW2869E
REPLY
(1) Yes. The Department of Home Affairs has already developed a detailed
action plan which, in particular, addresses revenue collection, and
asset management processes. For monitoring purposes, the action plan
was, also, submitted to the National Treasury, and the Audit Committee
of the Department.
(2) Yes. The Department will submit a progress report to my office on a
bi-monthly basis, and areas of concern will be addressed.
(3) Yes. The turnaround strategy, aimed to transform the Department of
Home Affairs to deliver, effectively, on its mandate, has, indeed,
made a positive impact on the Department. This is, also, confirmed by
the increasing positive feedback received from members of the public.
Progress has been made in a number of areas. These include the
following:
⢠Service delivery improvements.
- Faster turnaround times for key enabling documents.
- The provision of understandable information to clients
through the Departmentâs Client Service Centre, and SMS
notifications linked to a track and trace system.
- Live verification of biometrics, in most offices, has
improved security, and greatly speeded up the issue of
temporary identity documents, and travel documents.
- Frontline service is improving through measures being rolled
out, which include training in management, and procedures,
and refurbishments.
- Special permitting units assist companies to acquire scarce
skills.
- Offices processing asylum seekers made the processes more
efficient, and secure with the introduction of an integrated
information system, and improved management, and procedures.
⢠Core processes and systems.
- Key businesses processes have been researched, and mapped,
and are being transformed.
- Staff have acquired the methodologies, and skills needed to
continue with this work through collaborating in teams with
consultants.
- Large gains in efficiency, of up to 300%, have been made in
areas covered, so far, and staff moral has improved.
⢠Organisational improvements.
- The Departmentâs management team is being strengthened,
and their operational control has, greatly, improved. For
example, data from the track and trace system, is used,
effectively, to monitor performance across provinces, and
offices that ensure that standards are met, consistently.
⢠Financial management.
- Improvements in a number of areas have resulted in a much
improved audit result for the 2008/09 financial year. The
basis is being laid for further improvements, for
example, rolling out better systems of revenue
collection.
- There are, however, still, areas that we have to
strengthen. This will not be fixed, overnight. Give us,
at least, two (2) years.