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The Legacy Report of the PC on Home Affairs

This Legacy Report Covers the Activities of Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs

from May 2009 – March 2014.

The Presentation will cover the following:1. Mandate of the Department of Home Affairs2. Entities of the Department of Home Affairs3. Functions of the Committee4. Method of Work of the Committee5. Key Highlights During the 4th Parliament6. Oversight Visits and International Study Tour7. Legislation Processed8. International Agreements9. Statutory Appointments10.Committee’s Focus Areas During the 4th Parliament11.Issues Requiring Attention in the 5th Parliament12.Stakeholders 2

1. Mandate of the Department of Home Affairs

The core mandate of the Department of

Home Affairs is the efficient

determination and safeguarding of the

identity and status of citizens and the

regulation of immigration to ensure

Security, promote development and fulfil our

international obligations 3

2. Entities of the Department2.1. The Electoral Commission (IEC)- This is one of the Chapter 9 Institutions and itsprimary responsibility is to manage elections andto establish and maintain the voter’s roll.2.2. Government Printing Works (GPW)- Its role is to provides security printing togovernment departments, provincial governmentand local authority

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Cont. 2.Entities of the Department2.3. Film and Publications Board (FPB)- It has been established by the Film and

Publications Act (1996). It regulates the creation, production, possession and distribution of films, interactive computer games and publications and it is also responsible for monitoring adult premises.

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3. FUNCTIONS OF THE COMMITTEETo consider legislation referred to itTo exercise oversight over the Department of

Home Affairs and its entitiesTo consider international Agreements referred to

itTo consider the budget vote of the DepartmentTo facilitate public participation in its processesTo facilitate appointments to statutory bodiesTo consider all matters referred to it in terms of

legislation, the Rules of Parliament or Resolutions of the House

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4.Method of Work of the CommitteeBefore the scrutinizing of the Annual Reports of

the Department, the Committee invited

Provincial Managers to present reports of the

state of their respective provinces. This method

helped the Committee to understand particular

challenges faced by each province

Oversight visits offices of the Department and Ports of Entry

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5. Key Highlights of the CommitteeOversight visits to provinces, including Ports of Entry,

Lindela Repatriation Centre and Refugees Reception Offices

The Introduction of the ID Smart Card as part of the Department of Home Affairs Modernisation Programme

The Committee amended seven legislation and a decision was made that the Refugee Reception Offices will be moved closer to the land borders

Children will be registered within 30 days after birthsAllowing South Africans living abroad to vote in

national elections starting from 2014 elections

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6. Oversight Visits and International Study Tour6.1. Oversight Visits to Provinces and Ports of EntryOversight Visits Pre -2010 FIFA World CupThe Committee participated in a joint oversight visitswith other Parliamentary Committees to check thereadiness of the host cities for 2010 FIFA World Cup

In addition, the following Provinces were visited by the Committee: Free State Gauteng Limpopo Mpumalanga North West Kwazulu – Natal Eastern Cape

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Cont. 6. Oversight Visits and International Study Tour6.2. Oversight Visits to EntitiesThe Film and Publications Board Head Office

in JohannesburgThe Electoral Commission (IEC) Head Office in

PretoriaThere is an outstanding oversight visit to

Government Printing Works in Pretoria

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Cont.6. Oversight Visits and International Study Tour

6.3. International Study TourOnly one international study tour wasundertaken to Russia in 2012 during the 4th

Parliament

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7. Legislation Processed The South African Citizenship Amendment Bill[B17 – 2010]• The Bill finalised in 2010

The Births and Deaths Registration Amendment Bill [B18 - 2010]• The Bill was finalised in 2010

The Local Government: Municipal Electoral Amendment Bill [B27- 2010]• The Bill was finalised in 2010

The Refugees Amendment Bill [B30 – 2010]• The Bill was finalised in 2011

The Immigration Amendment Bill [B32 – 2010]• The Bill was finalised in 2011

The Electoral Amendment Bill [PMB2 – 2013]• The Bill was finalised in 2013

The Electoral Amendment Bill [B22 – 2013]• The Bill was finalised in 2013

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8. International AgreementsAgreement Between the Republic of SouthAfrica and the Government of the Kingdom ofLesotho on the Facilitation of cross-bordermovement of citizens of the Republic of South Africa and the Kingdom of Lesotho- The agreement was not approved by the

Committee

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9. Statutory Appointments

• Appointment of a Commissioner in May 2011 before the Local Government Elections

• Appointment of Commissioners by an Adhoc Committee in 2012

Commissioners are appointed for a period ofseven years

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10.Committee’s Focus Areas During the 4th Parliament

Modernisation Programme of the Department of Home Affairs• The Committee interrogated the importance of finalising the ICT integration• The Committee was not able to visit Government Printing Works (GPW) to see the new passport and ID

Smart Card printing machine

Duplicate cases

• This is problem for citizens. The Department of Home Affairs has published names of people who had duplicate cases to avail them to the Department for this to be resolved. Few people came forward.

• Duplicate cases are instances where one person has two ID numbers or where two persons share an ID number

• The on-going modernisation of the ID application process and ID Smart Card was noted by the Committee as a means of such issues.

Late Registration of BirthsThe Department introduced an amendments to the Births and Death Registration Act toensure that births are registered within 30 days after delivery.

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11. Issues Requiring Attention in the 5th Parliament Closure of the Refugee Reception Offices and moving them closer to the land borders Modernisation Programme and roll out of the Live Capture for the ID Smart Cards and passports

in all offices Filing of priority and vacant funded posts Obstacles encountered with the Department of Public Works(DPW) in acquiring new offices by

the Department of Home Affairs and Government Printing Works Duplicate cases of Identity Documents Finalisation of the Regulations related to the Immigration and Refugees Amendment Bills Phasing out of Late Registration of Births The Committee to learn more on issues of regional integration as it relates to immigration on the

African continent and on fast facilitation of recruitment of scarce skills from other parts of the world

Better monitoring and management of migrants within the country The development of Migration Policy by the Department of Home Affairs On the Study Tour to Russia, the Russian Federation is interested in forging cooperation with

South Africa in the area of higher education. The focus area could be in the area of Information Technology and IT security and establishing exchange programmes

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12. Stakeholders United Nations High

Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Law Society of South Africa (LSSA) People Against Suffering

Suppression, Oppression and Poverty (Passop)

Consortium for Refugees and Migrants in South Africa (CorMSA)

Forum of Immigration Practitioners of South Africa (FIPSA)

University of Cape Town Law Clinic

African Centre for Migration and Society (ACMS)

Lawyers for Human Rights

Edward Nathan Sonnerbergs Deloitte and Touche’ PriceWateHouseCoopers(PWC) Centre for Development and

Enterprise AfriForum Citizenship Rights Africa Initiative

(CRAI) Commission for Gender Equality

(CGE)

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Thank you.Ndza Khensa.

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