Mhlalingaphambili, Mphathiswa, uMama uNaledi Pandor, Sekela Mphathiswa, Mama uChohan, sihlalo wekomiti yam, Mama ndiyabulisa, nabantu bonke abakhoyo apha kodwa mandibulise abantu abaphethe la mashishini kunye nesigqeba seKomishoni yoNyulo eZimeleyo, ndigqibezele ngokubulisa ... (Translation of isiXhosa paragraph follows.)
[Mr M MNQASELA: Chairperson, greetings to hon Minister Ms Naledi Pandor, Deputy Minister Ms Chohan, Madam chairperson of my committee, including all the people present here today, especially the people running these offices, the executive of the Independent Electoral Commission and, finally, ...]
... the shadow Minister of the official opposition in Parliament, the hon Manny De Freitas. [Laughter.] [Applause.]
Sihlalo, kumba weentsuku ezingama-30, nangona sele ethethile ngawo uMphathiswa, kukho abantu abahlawula iimali ezininzi, umzekelo eFreyistata umntu uhlawula amakhulu amathathu eerandi ukuya kwiSebe lezeMicimbi yeKhaya.
Izolo bendithetha nabantu baseNgqamakhwe ndibabuza ukuba benza njani na xa besiya kwiSebe lezeMicimbi yeKhaya. Ufumanise ukuba - hayi kaloku kukho iifowuni ngoku akufani nayizolo - bayafowuna bebuza ukuba liza kuza nini iSebe lezeMicimbi yeKhaya eNgqamakhwe. Kaloku ii-ofisi azibancedi bakwazi ukuwafumana onke amaxwebhu. Umntu ulindiswa ixesha elide xa efikile. (Translation of isiXhosa paragraphs follows.)
[Chairperson, regarding the issue of the registration of birth within 30 days, which the hon Minister touched on, there are people who spend a lot of money. For example, in the Free State a person spends R300 on transport to go to Home Affairs offices.
Yesterday I talked to the people of Ngqamakhwe and asked them how they get to the Home Affairs office. You find that - there are telephones these days, unlike in the past - they phone to find out when the Home Affairs mobile service trucks are coming to Ngqamakhwe. Home Affairs offices are unable to provide them with all the documents they require. A person waits a long time in these offices.]
Chairperson, the DA has noted the progress made by the department. It is there, everybody knows. When they want to quote a good department, they talk about the Department of Home Affairs. Therefore, it is something that is known.
Ungaqhwabi phambi kokuba ndigqibe.... [Uwele-wele.] [Do not applaud before I have concluded my point. [Interjections.]]
Much more still needs to be done; much more still needs to be done. People in the villages will tell you that ...
... asikayingcamli le nkululeko thina, kubi, ziyaduma. [Uwele-wele.] ... [we have not tasted freedom yet. It is terrible; the going is tough. [Interjections.]]
There are 117 computerised mobile service trucks equipped with satellite dishes to connect them to the department's systems. These mobile trucks, which are used as offices, are often dysfunctional. The problem is that, right now, approximately 80% of them are not functioning properly. This is something we have raised in the committee. You can shake your head, Madam Deputy Minister, but we have raised this in the committee and you know that this satellite issue must be resolved.
Abantu bayasokola ezilalini. [Uwele-wele.] [People in the villages are struggling. [Interjections.]] Go there and you will see. [Interjections.] The ideal number of service delivery points to meet the standard of access desired was set at 744. Currently, there are 407 fixed offices, 68 ports of entry, 25 uncomputerised points, where they use 4x4s for that purpose, and some refugee reception centres - obviously we know the story. In order to implement the access model in full, more than double the current funding would be required. We hope that the increase in the allocation for the 2013- 14 financial year from R327 million to R473 million, an increase of 37%, will somehow address these concerns.
Chairperson, the department has a large vacancy rate. It does not take less than six months to fill one vacancy. [Interjections.]
Hamba uye kufunda ... [Go and read ...]
... the Auditor-General's report. There are many positions in which staff members, including some provincial managers, are appointed on an acting basis. This department needs to ensure that it complies with the policy of the Department of Public Service and Administration - I'm happy the director-general is sitting there - because if it does not do so it will then be found wanting in terms of the regulations and the Constitution.
One wonders how many acting positions there are in the Department of Home Affairs, because it seems it is good at employing officials in acting positions. [Laughter.] This is happening in your office, Madam Minister, with 149 staff in your office. It is in the report that there are 149 people who are working there. What are they doing? One hundred and forty nine! Perhaps some of these people must go and work in the department. We need to second them.
The Auditor-General also highlighted in the report of the 2011-12 financial year that 41% of the staff of the department are in fact carrying out remunerative work outside their official duty. No wonder ...
... kukho ezi ngxaki esimane sithetha ngazo apha. Aba bantu bayasebenza, baziqeshile kwaye baneenkampani kodwa ... [... there are the problems we often talk about here. These people are working, are self-employed and own companies, but ...]
... every day they report for duty. This is a problem that the Department for the Public Service and Administration should address. If people want to work for the Department of Home Affairs, they must work for it. If they want to work for themselves, they must go and employ themselves outside the department. This is something that cannot be tolerated.
Ngeniyiqhwabela ke loo nto kuba ngurhulumente wenu. [You should applaud this point, because this is your government.] [Interjections.] [Laughter.] In the same year, the Public Finance Management Act, PFMA, requirements were flouted, where contracts to the tune of R3,9 million were given without following proper rules and procedures. For instance, the Construction Industry Development Board, CIDB, regulations were not followed.
Umnika njani umntu isiniki maxabisa engakulungelanga oko ... [How do you offer someone a tender when he or she is not ready ...]
... in terms of grades. Those are the problems. That is why companies are losing interest in this country, to work with government. Also, they are not getting paid on time. [Laughter.][Interjections.]
The last issue which I want to bring forward is the fact that we've got the smart ID card report. We've been waiting for this report. It was presented to the committee. When we engaged with the officials of both the State Information Technology Agency, Sita, and the department, we were promised that the report will be coming. Until now the report is not yet with us. Since 2001, we have been talking about the smart card. [Interjections.] This corruption was picked up in 2008-9 and R1,4 billion had been wasted in the cancellation of that tender. Who must answer for that? Bring those people to Parliament and we must make sure that heads do roll. We must make sure that people are held accountable.
Minister ...
... sithembele kuwe ke kuba kuthiwa ... [... we put our trust in you, because it is said ...]
... a new broom sweeps clean.
Sicela utshayele ke ukuze kucoceke. Siyabulela. [We ask you to please sweep clean. I thank you.] [Time expired.] [Applause.]