Chairperson, whilst the UDM will support this Budget Vote, it is necessary to express our deep concern regarding the longstanding problems within the department.
Home Affairs has been on a downward spiral for more than a decade now. It is riddled with corruption and has become notorious for terrible service and long queues. We know that new plans have been announced and we eagerly await reports of drastic improvement. But previous promises of dramatic turnarounds have only led to disappointment.
Another matter that is of concern is the amount of taxpayers` money already spent and being spent on the Hanis Project. The dangers of such a large and sensitive project being developed within a department that has been infiltrated by organised crime cannot be overstated. It would be best to completely halt projects such as this until corruption has been eradicated.