Schreiber plans to fast-track Home Affairs service delivery

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Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber says they are working on a plan to fast-track service delivery and improve the Home Affairs system in the country.

Schreiber, who was accompanied by Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza, was speaking during his visit to oThongathi, north of Durban, to assist those who lost vital documents when a tornado hit the area last month.

Mobile Home Affairs offices were deployed in several areas that were affected by the storm, for ease of access.

oTongathi residents, who survived last month’s tornado that hit several parts of the province, are breathing a sigh of relief after receiving new ID documents.

Dr Schreiber visits KZN tornado victims with a plan to fast-track services:

Many of the residents in the area lost critical documents in the storm. Residents who have already received their new identity documents say they are grateful for the swift response.

“What happened my ID got damaged like almost everything important, documents got damaged and washed away in the tornado,” a resident says.

“I feel it’s such a privilege to have the Department of Home Affairs actually come to us, especially assisting us during this time of devastation and the fact that it’s free,” says another happy resident.

“I applied on the 3rd and home affairs came on that day we came out in our numbers as we all had the problem that we don’t have IDs they were blown away we came here to register so today they returned to give us our IDs I came with the slip they gave us they didn’t ask for payment they attended to us as the community in trouble,” explains this resident.

The Minister says they are working on a plan to improve the department’s technology to boost efficiency.

“I think those of the things that are fixable again we live in 2024 with artificial intelligence now in the world and we should be able to get our connectivity up and running absolutely that’s one of the things we’re requesting briefings on getting information so we can put together a plan identify what exactly are the problems because sometimes there are more than one and there are some layers to these issues. but most importantly getting quick timelines for plans to address this,” says Schreiber.

Video: oThongathi Tornado – Department of Home Affairs gives IDs to residents who lost vital documents.

The tornado left many residents without homes, forcing them to live in tents. The eThekwini Metro says it is auditing the list of people who have come forward for assistance.

“But what I can say is that with the list which is with us. We are working with those lists because some of the people are on the list but were not affected but we are working with the councillors and also the ward committee to make it a point that the people who are on the list are the people who were really affected by the tornado,” says Deputy Mayor of eThekwini Metro Zandile Myeni.

Home affairs authorities say they will continue to assist those who were affected by the storm to get their documentation sorted.