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.The DA will hold the Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsoaledi, to his word on claims he will “suspend or arrest everyone in his department if that’s what it takes to clean up the rampant corruption that has taken root.”

For all the talk of ‘cleaning up’ only 33 fraud and corruption hearings took place in 2020/21 at Home Affairs, with a mere 8 people suspended from a workforce of 8 541. In fact, fraud and corruption hearings have halved since Minister Motsoaledi took over in 2019.

Apart from the low numbers being caught, the length of time officials remain on paid suspension must be swiftly addressed. While the Minister has trumpeted the recent suspension of three senior officials accused of failing to execute court orders, officials are now suspended for an average of 442 days and according to response to a DA parliamentary question in December 2021 these 8 persons received R1.1 million in benefits last year while on suspension, excluding salaries and bonuses.

The DA feels it is totally unacceptable for Home Affairs employees on suspension continue to enjoy perks while the Department drags its heels on investigations – this is a slap in the face of South Africans who have been told to tighten their belts and bear the brunt of fraud and corruption.

The Home Affairs investigative report on permitting, due to be tabled in Parliament on 8 March, is a golden opportunity for the Minister to show he is serious about tackling fraud and corruption at Home Affairs.

The DA has further called for cameras to be placed at Home Affairs offices, with the DA getting a resolution through Parliament in November 2021 giving Home Affairs six months to present a report on how this will be achieved. The set-up of cameras outside and inside Home Affairs offices will record incidents of collusion of officials to sell spaces in queues and investigate footage where citizens are mistreated.

Fraud and corruption at Home Affairs have dire consequences, with South Africans struggling to get to the front of a queue to apply and then paying fees to expedite the excessively long processing time out of sheer desperation. Without an ID South Africans have been unable to apply for a driving license, get a job or apply for much needed social support.

The DA will continue to fight for opportunities for all South Africans, not just connected cadres.

Issued by DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Adrian Roos MP