We have a reason to support the budget, hon Minister, but having said that, I must say that you have a daunting task ahead of you. You will have to hit the ground running. Of course, the department has made great strides in trying to improve various aspects.
I note with a great deal of interest that your staff have indicated that there are challenges that have been besetting the department from as far back as 2004 and we hope that those issues will now be dealt with and that issues of corruption will be a thing of the past. I strongly believe that if there is a will to do that, it will be done.
We think that with the new centres that you are opening, hon Minister, you will definitely take the department forward in order to serve our people, because our people need services, they need jobs, and poverty must be alleviated. Therefore, we as the NFP believe that this department can do a lot to ensure that our people get the services that they need. Having said that, let me say that we know that there has been a reduction with regard to the civic affairs programme, which is not a welcome move at all. It is not welcome in the sense that the 400 offices that we have are not enough.
In the rural areas, for instance, there are no mobile units or offices. I think that the department will have to move in the direction of seeing to it that there are offices in the rural areas to ensure visibility.
Moreover, if you go to these offices - I don't say that it is all of them - you will find that there is a great deal of congestion. Our offices have to be user-friendly to senior citizens, and to the disabled as well.
You have said that you are going to train about 100 managers in leadership skills. That is not enough, if you take into consideration the fact that there is a lot that has to be done in the department. I think you have to do more. Any reduction in staff in the department and any vacancies that are not filled promptly will really jeopardise the department's success.
We know that the introduction of the border management agency will do something, but it is going to need a lot of technology, because it has to be monitored. And, of course, you will have to work with the Department of Defence and Military Veterans and other departments to ensure that there is security, because our borders are porous. Thank you. [Time expired.]