Tebogo Msimanga |
The Democratic Alliance (DA) says it conducted a series of oversight inspections of various Home Affairs offices in Gauteng and Mpumalanga last week.
DA Shadow Minister of Home Affairs Angel Khanyile said they found much of the same problems as they have highlighted on previous oversight visits,”hours-long queues where people are expected to wait come rain or sunshine, offices which cannot operate due to failure to pay municipalities, biometric systems that have been broken since January and systemic errors due to network failure.”
Khayile added that the problems the DA encountered in Nigel, Springs and Balfour are blueprints of Home Affairs offices all over the country. “The failures by the Department of Home Affairs have serious consequences. Children are unable to register for schools, adults and elders are unable to access their social grants, and immigrants risk the legality of their stay in South Africa – often through no fault of their own.”
She further said that fueled by populist propaganda from callous politicians and leaders, immigrants are being blamed for the systemic failures of the ANC government. “Unchecked xenophobic rants are spread as gospel, leaving those in poor and vulnerable communities believing that all foreigners are criminals who steal their jobs, and everything else. This has already led to the horrific death of Elvis Nyathi by a mob in Diepsloot.”
Khayile reiterated that leaders who continue to fuel violence and hatred from the safety of their high-security homes and VIP protection have blood on their hands.
