To: Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs

Stop with the corporatization of Home Affairs

Photo credit: dha.gov.za
 
Demands: 
  • Make Home Affairs work for everyone, 
  • Digitizing public services has an impact. How will the digital divide be mitigated once the end-to-end digital platform is launched? 

We appreciate the Home Affairs team's efforts to minimise instances of fraud and corruption by strategizing new ways to improve productivity and efficiency [1]. However, has the department considered the statistics on internet access and digital literacy in South Africa? 

Creating an end-to-end digital platform to access crucial public services will have consequences, a good example is the digitization of the application process for the R370 grant. The Department of Social Development and SASSA resorted to moving the application process online during the pandemic, which has led to millions being excluded from accessing the grant. The current framework for the R370 grant is currently being challenged in court [2]. 

While everyone hates standing in long queues, transforming essential services such as ID and passport applications online will take some time, the assumption most government departments make is that digitizing means efficiency and reduced errors. Referring back to the R370 application process, which requires biometric verification, has fallen short of being foolproof but also doesn't work in certain instances. 

A member who once applied for the grant and was no longer receiving it due to their number being deactivated said this: “I went to Home Affairs to prove my identity, using the HANIS method, which I did and got my results, I tried to reapply again, and I was asked to perform a biometric verification of which the scanning did not work. Upon contacting SASSA, they told me they would escalate the matter. I have not received the grant since August 2021 since my number was deactivated” - Cedric, slightly edited for clarity.

The planned process requires extensive infrastructure and regular updating and maintenance of the databases at Home Affairs, UIF, SARS, etc. A report concluded by the Auditor General in 2020 found that data is “not integrated and shared across different departments effectively” [3]. Looking at the mess happening in SASSA, it is safe to say the issue still persists. 


Why is this important?

Public services should work for everyone; the planned proposals to launch a premium service allowing people to pay extra to fast-track their document applications [4] should be cancelled. On top of planning to digitize the department, introducing things such as “premium services” should be vehemently rejected having the ability to pay for a public service, such as fast-tracking an application, trumps the idea of what a public service is. No one person should have the right to use money to get “better” service delivery over those without money. The department has to focus on making its services efficient and accessible for everyone. 

In a country like ours, where disparities between those with access and those who don't still persist, it is counterproductive to implement measures such as public e-services while the digital divide still persists where only one-third of the country’s population has access to smartphone [5].

In addition to poor IT infrastructure riddled by breakdowns, inefficiencies, and the famous “system is offline,” how will this be mitigated on the digitised platform? 

Add your name to the petition to get the Department of Home Affairs to do away with the idea of offering premium services. We all deserve decent service delivery. 



References 

[1] Home Affairs planning fast-tracked premium service by Jan Vermeulen for MyBroadband. 04 November 2024. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/568090-home-affairs-planning-fast-tracked-premium-service.html

[2] Government must protect legitimate SRD grant applicants, say activists by Marecia Damons for GroundUp. 28 October 2024. https://groundup.org.za/article/government-must-protect-genuine-srd-grant-applicants-say-activists/

[3] UIF looks to updated databases to strengthen payment controls by Simnikiwe Mzekandaba for ITweb. 14 September 2020. https://www.itweb.co.za/article/uif-looks-to-updated-databases-to-strengthen-payment-controls/6GxRKqYJlg6vb3Wj

[4] Home Affairs planning fast-tracked premium service by Jan Vermeulen for MyBroadband. 04 November 2024. https://mybroadband.co.za/news/security/568090-home-affairs-planning-fast-tracked-premium-service.html

[5] Number of smartphone users in South Africa from 2014 to 2023 (in millions) by Petroc Taylor. 18 January 2023. https://www.statista.com/statistics/488376/forecast-of-smartphone-users-in-south-africa/

Category