Chair, the strategy and tactics of the ANC identify the following capacities as critical for the achievement of a developmental state: one, strategic capacity; two, capacity to lead in the definition of a common national agenda and the mobilising all of society behind it; three, organisational capacity; and, four, technical capacity.
A developmental state, though biased towards the poor and the working class, strives for excellence in corporate governance and accountability. In that regard, state departments are tools in the hands of the people to ensure a better life for all. It is therefore imperative that such tools are not only appropriate for the purpose, but are infused with the strength and capacity to ensure developmental sustainability. The developmental state is thus the hope our people have for the promotion, protection and fulfilment of their rights, especially the socioeconomic rights enshrined in the Constitution.
Better public services require a culture of efficiency and effectiveness in the administration of public resources. This obliges our government to become more responsive to the needs of the people. As the official provider of requisite documentation, the Department of Home Affairs is the gateway to all public services for both citizens and migrants in the country. It is, thus, also the first point of contact between government and the majority of persons in South Africa. It is therefore critical that the department increasingly becomes a torchbearer of service delivery and the face of efficiency.
The outcomes-based approach was adopted by government and has specified 12 broad measurable outcome targets for public services. The Minister of Home Affairs has signed a ministerial performance agreement with the President, followed by interdepartmental and interagency delivery agreements. We commend the Minister that these tangible measures are reflected, both in the strategic plans and the budgets of Home Affairs. [Interjections.] I will deal with the nonapplicable matter just now.
One of the ways this functional approach has impacted on the Department of Home Affairs is that the previous four major programmes of the department have been consolidated into three programmes. This sees the transfer to the three entities falling under Programme 4 in previous years, being absorbed into Programme 2. Citizen Affairs now includes the Independent Electoral Commission, the Film and Publication Board and the Government Printing Works. This makes functional sense since these independent entities certainly provide related services aimed at citizens.
National Treasury groups the Department of Home Affairs within the general public service departmental allocations. There are three priority outcomes for these departments in the government programme of action. These are Outcome 9: a responsive, accountable, effective and efficient local government system; Outcome 11: creating a better South Africa and contributing to a better and safer Africa and world; and Outcome 12: an efficient, effective and development-orientated Public Service. In terms of Outcome 9, it is hoped that the consolidation of immigration and civic services at the provincial level will, in fact, improve efficiency and accountability through more direct lines of reporting.
Outcome 12 has implications for an efficient, effective and development- orientated focus for all programmes of the department, from administration through to citizen and immigration affairs. In the administration programme, for instance, the current and continuing upgrading and refurbishing of Home Affairs front offices is aimed at improving both client and staff experiences of Home Affairs services.
Earlier today we visited the new Barrack Street office with the Minister. The office is really a very good example of improved service delivery on the part of the department. More and more of these new offices are being rolled out across the country. What interests me is that people like the hon Lovemore - I saw her there, not too many of the other opposition members were present - also saw this new office today.
It is an office in terms of which the department can now monitor exactly what is going on in each of these offices across the country: How many people are still queuing; how many have been helped; how many still have to be helped? But today here we hear not a single word from her in that respect. [Interjections.] We hear not a single word of the great service delivery and the improved service delivery that some of the other members, including the hon Mulder, at least referred to. But we hear nothing from her in that regard.
While on the point of service delivery, we heard from the hon Mnqasela just now that we cannot justify the increase in the costs of - and hear what I say - identity documents and passports. But he is clearly misleading this House as well as the people of South Africa, because as the Minister alluded to earlier, this is about second IDs and second passports, not the first IDs and the first passports, that are at stake here.
So to come here and say that the Minister and the department are guilty of a violation of human rights is absolute nonsense. [Injections.] Then he goes on and he singles out one example of no reply following an e-mail that had been sent to him, and chooses to ignore the general very positive statistics relating to service delivery, service delivery statistics that the DA has not disputed. Stop misleading the House, hon members.
All three budget programmes also benefit from increased expenditure on an ongoing basis in information technology and computer system upgrades. These include expanding upgrades to identification-capturing technology and SMS notification of progress on documentation to clients.
As Outcomes 9 and 11 do not seem to form specific components of the delivery agreements signed by the Minister, we will have to ensure, together with the Minister and the department, that these important outcomes, relating to efficient local government and a safer Africa and world, nonetheless receive the attention they deserve.
The department states in the 2011-12 estimates of national expenditure and the performance agreement signed by the Minister that it also contributes to the following two national outcomes. Outcome 3 is that all people in South Africa are and feel safe. In this regard, security of documentation and of personal information is a key responsibility of the department. Outcome 5 is a skilled and capable workforce to support an inclusive growth path. This requires reliable provision of documents by the department to student and workers entering the job market, as well as facilitating foreign skills and investment through readily providing the necessary permits and visas.
In a related vision, the following five broad priorities have specific relevance for the department flowing from the state of the nation address: firstly, job creation through meaningful economic transformation and inclusive growth in six priority areas; secondly, the acceleration of improved service delivery and public service performance: as mentioned this relates to Outcome 12 of efficient and effective development orientation across all the directorates of the department; thirdly, the continued fight against corruption: this is to be manifested by the department in the coming year through the establishment of a centralised database of corruption for more effective monitoring and finalisation of misconduct and fraud cases, and I would like to say to all the members who are very concerned about corruption that this is what is being done; fourthly, an inclusive ... [Interjections.] ... me too, yes - and efficient fourth local government election; and, fifthly, international assistance in democracy and elections, particularly on the African continent. We are encouraged by the preparation for the local government elections. I thank the IEC as well in that regard. We are confident that additional allocations made available in relation to special votes for persons with disabilities are being put to good use.
Parliament and the ANC will be monitoring job creation across government more closely in the coming years. Home Affairs has a dual responsibility in this regard of both more actively filling vacant funded posts and ensuring that changes to the Immigration Act do, in fact, bring in the requisite foreign skills and investment we need for our country's growth. The three strategic outcomes that the department has committed to, as far as government programme is concerned, are: one, a secured South African citizenship and identity; two, immigration managed effectively and securely in the national interest, including economic, social and cultural development; and, three, a service that is efficient, accessible and corruption free.
Strategic objectives 1 and 2 relate specifically to the citizens and immigration affairs programmes of the department's Budget, whereas strategic objective 3 concerning efficient corruption-free service has allocations and implications across the department's three programmes, as will be seen in the following expenditure trends. The implementation of performance outcome targets has resulted in a considerable adjustment of the reporting figures for the department when comparing the 2010-11 figures in the current estimates of national expenditure with the numbers indicated in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement.
It is understood that these changes are largely due to a change in the department's programme structure, where the total expenditure for provincial offices falls under civilian affairs, as opposed to being separated into immigration and citizen programme budgets. However, in order to ensure continuity of service delivery at the front-office level, it is of great importance that these changes are managed effectively by the department.
Programme 1 has received an increase of R370 million from the R1,4 billion allocated in 2010-11. This is largely due to a 15% real increase in the transversal information technology management subprogramme. The office accommodation subprogramme receives a 35% real increase of R99 million, and it is hoped that this will contribute towards improved service delivery.
The 19,5% real decline in the citizen affairs programme is accounted for by increased expenditure between 2007-08 and 2010-11 in the status services and Independent Electoral Commission subprogrammes owing to electoral operations. Status services declines by 55% and the IEC by 47%, totalling R784 million less in real terms in 2011-12.
Since preparations for the elections are at an advanced stage, such expenditure is clearly no longer needed in the current financial year. The budget allocation for the Immigration Affairs Programme declines significantly by 20% in 2011-12, largely owing to declines in the immigration management and admissions subprogrammes. This amounts nominally to R127,5 million less for admission services. It is understood that these reductions are due to additional expenditure allocated in 2010-11 for more staff during the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup.
The budget also sets out additional allocations for infrastructure projects, municipal and accommodation charges, improved conditions of service in the department, the Independent Electoral Commission and the Film and Publication Board, the issuing of work permits and the deployment of mobile offices. These increased allocations are in line with the government outcomes and priorities set by the President for the year.
Additional infrastructure spending is seen mostly on the reinstated "Who Am I Online" project, which is estimated at R2,2 billion over five years. To date, R390,4 million has been spent since 2008-09, and around R300 million has been allocated over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework period. Although only partial funding has been allocated for this project, National Treasury has approved the business case for the total cost of R2,2 billion beyond the MTEF period. This leaves a shortfall of around R900 million for the last two years of the project. We trust that the Treasury will make available these funds to ensure the full implementation of this important service delivery improvement programme that is long overdue.
We believe that this budget will play a key role in enabling the department to continue on its road towards much improved service delivery. It clearly supports the department's objectives, and in particular, the outcomes identified by the President and the ANC. We therefore support the budget.
In closing, I just want to deal with one matter that the hon Lovemore referred to. [Interjections.] Most of the other opposition members did not really raise these kinds of concerns, but she comes to this House and says that the strategic plan is flawed. Now, the first question is obviously how it is flawed. What she says is that there are targets that are set, and then in subsequent years, later on, the words "not applicable" are used. Then she refers to examples, for instance, she says there is a study for countercorruption that has to be done, and then in the outer year the words "not applicable" appear.
I want to really know from hon Lovemore, if a study is done and has been concluded, then in subsequent years do you really want to do that study again or not? [Laughter.]