Chair, I would like to start off by congratulating the hon Minister on her appointment. The fact that such a senior Minister was appointed is a clear indication that President Zuma recognises not only the importance of this department, but also the well-known current crisis in the department, and that the Minister is there to try and rectify it.
The predecessor of the Minister has just left. I listened to what the Minister said today and I heard all the wonderful things she said with regard to trying to turn this department around. However, those were the exact same things said by her predecessor in the last two budgets. So, I can understand that the intention from the ANC and the government's side is there, but we have not succeeded, in practice, to take things further in that sense.
I believe that President Zuma's administration is serious about service delivery. However, we have to understand that serious service delivery starts with this specific department. The Department of Home Affairs is the basis from where we have to start in terms of service delivery in total in South Africa.
My concern is that the department is top-heavy. We have, in terms of the strategic plan, 6 deputy directors-general and 24 chief directorates. I think it should be the other way around. It should have six chief directorates and maybe one or two deputy directors-general. This is something we need to look into.
If one looks at the department's core objectives, I don't think anybody can disagree with them. They are absolutely laudable. But we have to do certain things practically. Let me mention one or two examples. Why can civic services not be devolved to local government in terms of being the contact point towards citizens? Each and every local government office should be a contact point for Home Affairs, with efficient officials in contact with the public on a basic level. A policy can be developed on a national level; that is fine. But in terms of contact with the public, why can we not use these offices for an effective local government? It should be much better.
Die agb Minister het verwys na die 72 punte van toegang tot Suid-Afrika en ges die verantwoordelikheid van haar departement is bloot om daardie toegang te reguleer. Hulle is nie verantwoordelik vir grensbeheer nie. (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[The hon Minister referred to the 72 ports of entry into South Africa and stated that the responsibility of her department is merely to regulate that access. They are not responsible for border control.]
That is a problem. South Africa needs to rethink this whole issue. We need a different department - we can call it home security or whatever - that is combined and that will look at border control and immigration to take control of this whole situation.
There was reference to the question of corrupt officials, and I think everybody recognises that. If it does not already exist, can we not get some kind of internal line for our own officials to report a scoundrel or a crook? Clearly, there are many in the department.
Hulle is die mense wat maak dat die hele departement 'n baie slegte naam het. Ek wil terugkom na ons agb kollega van die DA. Ek het mooi gehoor wat sy s en sy het groot begrip vir die feit ... [Tussenwerpsels.] [Tyd verstreke.] (Translation of Afrikaans paragraph follows.)
[They are the people who are causing the entire department to have a really bad reputation. I want to come back to our hon colleague from the DA. I listened carefully to what she said and she understands completely the fact that ... [Interjections.] [Time expired.]]
Thank you. [Applause.]