DRAFT Joint Report of the Portfolio Committees of Home Affairs and Social Development on their joint provincial study tour of the Eastern Cape – 05 May to 09 May 2003.
DEPARTMENTS OF HOME AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT: UNITED THEY DELIVER, DIVIDED THEY FAIL.
PREPARED BY MZOLISI FUKULA: COMMITTEE CLERK – PC SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE REPORT
National Assembly
A. Introduction
The joint delegation of the Portfolio Committees on Home Affairs and social Development under the Co-chairpersonship of Mr Cassim Saloojee and Mr Patrick Chauke (ANC) included Prof LM Mbadi (ANC), Mr F Bhengu (ANC), Mr ET Ferreira (IFP), Ms A Van Wyk (ANC), Mrs Maunye (ANC), Mr Kalako (ANC), Mr M Fukula (Committee Secretary – PC Social Development), and Mr Johan Vermeleun (Committee Secretary – PC Home Affairs).
The joint delegation was accompanied by Mr B Maqethuka, the Eastern Cape Director of Social Grants, Mr. G Maswana, Communications Officer – office of the Eastern Cape MEC for Social Development, Mr. N Duntsula, PRO for the Eastern Cape Social Development MEC office, Mr LS Myataza, the Eastern Cape’s Regional Director of Home Affairs, Mr J Fick, the Director – Business processes and service delivery (National office of Home Affairs) and Mr S Maleka, the Assistant Director – Business processes and service delivery (National office of Home Affairs).
The study tour’s purpose was parliamentary oversight and visiting the North Eastern part of the Eastern Cape, the so-called Transkei, to oversee the process of Identity Documents (ID) applications and issuing thereof and the registration of child births. Furthermore, the catalyst role that IDs and Birth certificates play in the speedy and efficient processing of social security grants applications were also observed.
B. The Programme
DAY |
Local Authority |
TIME |
VENUE |
COMMENT |
Monday 5/5/03 |
UMTATA Mqanduli |
09H00 14H00 |
Bhata Sigcawu Board-room Ward one |
Meeting Briefing and Site visit |
Tuesday 6/5.03 |
BIZANA |
10H00 |
Mzamba area – Ward one |
Briefing and Site visit |
Wednesday 7/5/03 |
Ntabankulu |
10H00 |
Town Hall |
Briefing and Site visit |
Thursday 8/5/03 |
Qumbu Port St Johns |
10H00 10H00 |
Tsilitwa Tombo MPCC |
Briefing and Site visit |
C. Bhota Sigcawu Boardroom
The joint delegation was briefed by Home Affairs and Social Development officials regarding to the programme for the visit. Social Development officials indicated that as far as they were concerned everything was in place for the visit. The delegation would meet with the respective leadership of the areas they are visiting and be briefed about the state of change and progress in respect of poverty alleviation and other pertinent issues. A mobile unit, manned by department of Home Affairs staff and accompanied by officials equipped with, among other things, a computer and a photo-copying machine would be sent to all earmarked areas as reflected on the programme. They indicated that their staff would process all types of social grant applications, including the child support grant. The delegation was told that all stakeholders in the areas to be visited, had been consulted and were ready and expecting the parliamentary delegation. Arrangements had been made to secure media to cover the events. Two regional radio stations, namely Umhlobo Wenene and University of Transkei Community Radio were mentioned as possible media sources earmarked to cover the events.
In briefing the delegation, the Home Affairs officials indicated that, as far as they were concerned, it was all systems go. They had put together a team that would work closely with that of Social Development. Contrary to the understanding and expectations of the Parliamentary delegation, Home Affairs officials explained that their team would only concentrate on the registration of childbirths and issuing of birth certificates. No ID applications would be dealt with. The Parliamentary delegation took the Home Affairs officials to task on this, expressing its disagreement. The delegation explained that, as a matter of fact, the primary purpose of its visit was to oversee how Home Affairs was dealing with the problem of the backlog of IDs. Mr Maqethuka requested his Home Affairs counterparts to rethink their position. Home Affairs agreed, promising to add staff to process and complete ID applications as well.
Mr Patrick Chauke explained that the task of the delegation was to mobilize the rural people and to assist them where needed, as opposed to merely addressing them.
The briefing was ended with the understanding by all present that Home Affairs officials needed time to make contact with their staff in order to cater for their late decision to process ID applications before the visit to Mqanduli later the same day. While Home Affairs officials were making arrangements, the parliamentary delegation decided to go and visit the Umtata Home Affairs office.
D. Visit to Umtata Home Affairs Office – 05 May 2003
Observations
1. Birth Administration Office
1.1 Two officials serve more than 60 applicants per day.
1.2 The office is unhygienic, cramped and not conducive for dealing with large volumes of people.
1.3 There are chronic delays in serving people.
1.4 It was reported that officials are bribed to serve certain people before others.
1.5 We found one old woman looking for a birth certificate from a bundle of certificates herself. She could not read nor write
2. Migration Office
2.1 No queues were observed as there were no people to serve
2.2 No electronic filing system. The manual filing system observed is in shambles.
2.3 There were a lot of uncollected travel documents lying around in the office.
2.4 The office was very dirty.
3. ID Applications Office
3.1 Characterized by long queues. Droves of people standing outside the office in hostile weather conditions.
3.2 Working and service conditions are poor and unhygienic and unconducive for service delivery.
3.3 The office is not computerized.
3.4 Inadequate staff to deal with swelling numbers of people wanting to be served.
4. General observations
4.2 Batho Pele principles are not observed.
4.3 There is no sense of urgency on the side of the officials in serving the public. Not even the presence of the delegation could spark a sense of urgency.
4.4 The building is dilapidated. It is badly situated and not suited for Home Affairs work. It is a house converted into an office.
E. Mqanduli
1. Visit to Social Development office
1.1 The office is a small, cramped makeshift structure characterized by very long queues outside, with people exposed to the sun.
1.2 Long queues for child support grants and enquiries.
1.3 No shelter from hostile weather conditions. Plans are said to be afoot to build such a shelter.
2. Visit to Home Affairs Office (a stone throw away from that of Social Development)
2.1 The office is a small unhygienic zinc structure without ventilation, toilets or a telephone. It is completely unsuitable for a productive working environment and efficient service delivery. It is a health hazard.
2.2 Very long queues and no systems for early interventions.
2.3 Birth certificates were available but there was no official available to distribute them. The delegation was told that only one person was responsible for issuing of birth certificates. When that person was absent, nobody could issue them.
3. Mapuzi Technical College (Mqanduli) – Ward One visit
The local leadership representative of different stakeholders in the area welcomed the parliamentary delegation. The delegation was told that Mqanduli was a very rural and poor area. The local leadership raised a concern that certain sections of leadership in Wards One and Two had not been informed by the organizers of the event in the province. They added that the venue for the event, while technically sound, was far removed from most areas. They argued that the event should have been communicated through constituency offices. It was explained that the intention of the delegation was not to visit all areas. The aim was to see whether government’s policy was being implemented. It was further explained that the main mission for the visit was to assist with delivery by bringing services to where people lived, in particular, those residing in the very deep rural areas like Mqanduli. The programme should be sustained even after the delegation had left the area.
Observations through interaction with people
3.3 Local management of Home Affairs was not present at the site.
3.4 Verification of people’s correct age to qualify for old age pension is a critical issue.
3.5 Most people cannot afford the R20-R50 charged for ID photos resulting in them being unable to apply for IDs. This leads to a serious problem of a growing number of people without valid IDs.
3.6 There was a lack of provision of basic resources by Home Affairs for the day’s programme. Home Affairs deployed volunteers without supplying them with the essential resources, like computers, necessary to carry out the work. The problem was said to be emanating from the national office of Home Affairs, which is accused of having a tendency of frustrating officials at regional level and below.
3.7 Social Development was organized on the day.
3.8 More than 110 ID applications and over 220 birth registrations were processed on the day.
3.9 Social Development processed over 107 child support grants on the day.
F. Bizana visit – Ward One (Mzamba area)
1. Site briefing
After the introduction of the parliamentary delegation the Mbizana Mayor, Mr Makhaya Twabu, welcomed the delegation. In his briefing, Mayor Twabu said his municipality had its own programme similar to the one initiated by the delegation. Such a programme, he said, was not the first of its kind but was part of a wide range of similar initiatives undertaken by his municipality. He cited retrenchment and lack of formal employment as problems facing the area. He promised that those who qualify for social grants would be assisted in any way possible.
Mayor Twabu expressed his municipality’s frustration at the personnel shortage in the Home Affairs office in the area. Only four Home Affairs personnel were operating in the area. For a long time there had been no computer at the Lusikisiki Home Affairs office.
Mr Myataza from Home Affairs confirmed the staff problem saying that the office was a satellite office. He said addressing the problem would be guided by the availability of funds. He said Home Affairs was relying on the staff complement of 1995. There had been no review of the current staff complement in order to balance the staff figures with the evolving needs.
2. Observations
2.1The day’s programme started late due to a decision by the local leadership to delay the start of proceedings until the arrival of the parliamentary delegation. This was deemed unnecessary by the visiting parliamentary delegation.
2.2 There was a large response to the day’s programme, indicated by the long queues of people waiting to apply for IDs and social grants.
2.3 Home Affairs officials did not bring along the computers and photocopying machines that was necessary to process the applications. As a result thereof no ID and birth registration applications were processed on the spot. The unavailability of the photocopying machine and the limited number of application forms were inadequate to cater for the swelling numbers of ID and birth certificates applicants.
2.4 More than 225 ID’s and 475 birth registrations were processed.
2.5 Social Development processed over 250 child support grants.
G. Ntabankulu Town Hall
1. Site briefing
The local leadership welcomed the delegation. In briefing the delegation they pointed out that there was a problem with the distribution of IDs. They informed the delegates of a series of unrelenting break-ins at the Home Affairs offices in the area. A number of IDs and birth certificates had been stolen. They also raised the problem of a lack of co-operation between different government Departments.
In explaining preparations for the day’s programme, Home Affairs officials indicated that they had put together a 10-member team to man their tables. Five of those were permanent staff members and the other five were volunteers. They also indicated that computers had been brought along and that they were prepared and ready to deal with birth registration and ID applications. Social Development, indicated that everything was in place and that they too had a 10-member team, six of which were permanent and four were volunteers.
2. Observations
2.1 Both Social Development and Home Affairs officials were better prepared for the day’s programme as opposed to previous days.
2.2 Members of the parliamentary delegation assisted with the issuing and processing of IDs and birth certificates as well as general enquiries.
2.3 There was a massive turn out by people wanting to apply for IDs and social grants. Scores of people were bussed in from the adjacent villages.
2.4 Over 285 IDs and 290 birth registrations were processed.
2.5 Social Development processed over 242 child support grants.
H. Qumbu – Tsilitwa area
1. Site briefing
The parliamentary delegation met with the local leadership. The ineffectiveness of the ward committee in the area and the fact that they do not meet was highlighted.
Mr Jikijela, the ward councilor in the area pleaded with the parliamentary delegation to ensure the extension of the constituency allowance to enable Members of Parliament to successfully look into, among other things, the problem of ward committees not meeting. Concern was raised that the Department of Social Development was not using the small black empowerment banks that are not ACB-registered. It was said that the social grants beneficiaries were not benefiting fully through the so-called established commercial banks as they are subject to taxation. In response, Mr Duntsula from the Department of Social Development explained that there was an understanding between his department and the established commercial banks, the so-called ACB-registered banks, which allow social grant beneficiaries to make withdrawals without being charginge bank levies.
Mr Jikijela was concerned whether the ID and birth registration programme would be sustained after the delegation left. The delegation indicated that it would brief the Members of Parliament in all the areas visited about the programme and the need to sustain it. Mr Bobe, one of the local Social Development officials added that the local office had a programme scheduled to start on Monday, 12 May 2003 that would target access to social grants. The only problem envisaged was transport for the would-be beneficiaries. He emphasized the need for the day’s programme to continue adding that they would also establish service centres in all the wards in the Qumbu area. He indicated that social workers were already appointed and a liaison person was in the process of being employed in a concerted effort to beef up the planned service centres.
2. Observations
2.4 Social Development processed about 95 child support grants on the day.
I. Port St Johns
The Department of Social Development had no staff present at the venue. Provincial officials of the Department claimed that the officials were at Qumbu. This later transpired not to be the case since the Department was also absent at Qumbu.
The Department of Home Affairs was extremely well organised on the day. Computers, printers and photocopiers were available. The system of dealing with ID and birth applications was also streamlined. The Department issued birth certificates every half hour, which shortened the period of time people had wait considerably.
1. Observations
1.1 There is a serious problem with the authentication of the age of people. Many peoples’ ID’s reflect their age as younger than their actual age. The result is that these people cannot access the old age grant due to their ‘reduced age’. When these people attempt to resolve the problem they are referred to Umtata, which is 160 kilometers away.
1.3 Officials deal with the public with contempt and have little or no regard for their integrity. One official had to be reprimanded because of this.
2. Port St Johns Home Affairs office
3. Visit to the magistrate office
4. General observations
J. GENERAL OBSERVATIONS
K. RECOMMENDATIONS