The Department of Home Affairs Plans to Open More Branches in Shopping Malls Across SA to Reduce Long Queues
- Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi plans to open department offices in five shopping malls in the country
- The proposed departments will be located in three malls in Gauteng, one in KwaZulu-Natal and another in Cape Town
- Motsoaledi said opening home affairs offices in shopping malls will be an important intervention
PAY ATTENTION: Click “See First” under the “Following” tab to see Briefly News on your News Feed!
PRETORIA - Minister of Home Affairs Dr Aaron Motsoaledi said his department has plans to operate offices at malls to reduce long queues. While discussing the home affairs’ budget vote speech, Motsoaledi said he has plans to open departments at five malls across the country.
Three of the malls are in Gauteng, one in KwaZulu-Natal and another in Cape Town. He said operating home affairs at malls will obviate the problem of queues regardless of the weather.
Source: Getty Images
Motsoaledi plans to start with the Menlyn Mall in Pretoria, Cresta Mall and Southgate Mall in Johannesburg, the pavilion in eThekwini and Tygervalley Mall in Cape Town. The minister said that some of the tenants will have to move around to make room for the department, TimesLIVE reported.
He said the malls will also have convenient and safe parking for clients. The government plans to open 15 news offices at various locations throughout the country. Motsoaledi said opening home affairs offices in shopping malls will be an important intervention.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app!
The department plans to hire more staff after National Treasury gave it more than R200 million, IOL reported. Motsoaledi added that the department bought 10 extra “mobile office” trucks for R15 million and plans to purchase 15 more for the financial year.
Mzansi comments
Social media users had mixed reactions to the proposal with some praising Motsoaledi and others saying that he missed the plot:
Nkazimulo Tenza said:
“The ever hardworking individual who unfortunately happens to work for a useless organisation. I have great respect for him.”
Kingsley Nkwatse wrote:
“Best Minister the ANC has ever produced.”
Linda Crompton Ferns commented:
“Great initiative - but make sure you have arrangements for those Malls to open their doors at 5am; The traditional time for people to start queuing at home affairs. Otherwise, people will STILL be queuing outside with no cover.”
Barry Headland posted:
“Another wonderful ANC solution. the problem with home affairs is NOT location... just everything else. So, moving a failed recipe will repeat the issues.”
Natalie Samodien added:
“The malls will be full of very long queues. Sort out your systems, enhance them, and create efficiencies inside your departments.”
Home Affairs Minister wants the department reclassified to open on Saturdays without paying overtime
In a related matter, Briefly News also reported the Department of Home Affairs has implemented a plan that will allow its services to be rendered on Saturdays without having to pay overtime to its employees. The department wants to be classified as a security department and has submitted a Home Affairs Bill to the cabinet.
The Bill will allow the department to legally changed into a security sector which is allowed to open on weekends. Minister of Home Affairs Aaron Motsoaledi said not being able to open on weekends has resulted in the department having long queues during the week which he hoped to reduce.
Source: Briefly News
