By Anita Dangazele
Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi visited Gqeberha on Monday after a request by the provincial government to assist rural and urban communities to get their documents.
The department sent 34 mobile Home Affairs trucks to various communities which were visited by Motsoaledi to monitor quality service delivery.
Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane said they were happy that the ministry responded swiftly to their request for mobile Home Affairs trucks.
“Our province is big and rural, making it difficult for many residents in rural areas to travel to town to get their documents. Some spend more than R200 on a return trip from their villages to town and sometimes they don’t even get helped,” Mabuyane said.
“We’re grateful that mobile trucks will be able to take the service to the people.”
During his visit, Motsoaledi answered questions and grievances from various residents and religious and traditional leaders.
At a community meeting at New Brighton’s Nangoza Jebe hall, a local woman told Motsoaledi and Mabuyane that her identity document (ID) had been cut up and thrown into a dustbin by a Home Affairs staff member.
“I received an SMS that my ID had been issued but I didn’t get it so I went back to Home Affairs. I told the manager what had happened and she called the lady who had been assisting me. The woman eventually dug my ID out of her dustbin and it had been cut into eight pieces,” she said.
She said she was asked to write a report but she has not heard from the department.
She said she struggled to get assistance from banks and other institutions because her old ID was cancelled by the one that was cut into pieces.
Religious leaders also complained about delays in the issuing of marriage licences for ministers who conduct marriages.
“Some of our ministers are unable to marry couples in their churches due to the long processes and delays,” said the religious leader.
Motsoaledi said Home Affairs officers are the worst affected by load shedding as they depend on cellphone towers to operate.
“People may say that other institutions use generators but for us that is useless as we depend on cellphone towers and if they are off, the work stops,” Motsoaledi said.
Pictured above: Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi during his oversight visit to Gqeberha on Monday.
Image source: Supplied
