NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 211 / NW229E
DATE OF PUBLICATION: Friday, 11 February 2011
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 1 of 2011
Mrs M N Matladi (UCDP) to ask the Minister of Home Affairs:
Whether there are any plans in place to curb the backlog in the
adjudication of temporary residence permits; if not, why not; if so, (a)
what plans and (b) what was the reasoning behind centralising the
adjudication of these permits?
NW229E
REPLY:
Yes. The Department has plans in place to curb the backlog of Temporary
Residence Permit applications.
a) - Officials from the Departmentâs Regional Offices, with
adjudication knowledge, and experience have been sourced to assist
in the project to clear the backlog.
- Temporary staff have, also, been appointed to assist with the
project.
- 22 permanent staff members have been appointed in the
adjudication hubs.
- Strategies have been implemented, in order to eradicate the
backlog by the end of February 2011.
b) The rationale behind the centralisation process was to ensure a
transparent adjudication process for temporary residence
applications, and to minimise opportunities for corrupt activities
to take place. This was decided, due to my office, as well as, the
office of the Director-General being inundated with complaints, in
respect of the different application criteria being applied by
Regional Offices. Regional Offices could, also, not properly account
for applications received, and processed.