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This is the tenth year-end function of the Department of Home Affairs over which I have had the privilege to preside. As I was preparing myself for this function, I reflected on how I felt like pointing out on this occasion that the end of our year marks a real turning point in the life of our Department. It dawned on me that at the end of this year we are closing a chapter, to prepare ourselves for the opening a new one as the new year begins, and that the year which has now passed has been an extraordinary year, filled with crises and challenges alike, but it has also been a year in which we have achieved tremendously, in spite of the adverse conditions in which we find ourselves to work and we now prepare the ground to turn our Department around as the new year begins and give to it a new beginning.

As I was preparing myself to put on paper and elaborate this very thought, which reflected my earnest observation of what has happened during the past year, I began having a nagging suspicion that this was not the first time that I would make such remarks on this type of occasion. This prompted me to go back to the addresses I gave at the year end functions of this Department for the past ten years and, to my great shock, I found that I effectively said the same things almost every time. This discovery shook me profoundly because I fear that perhaps I have reached the stage that I end up saying the same things over and over again. Therefore, I set a few hours aside and went back to consider the history of our Department to see whether there was, indeed, justification for me to say at the end of each year that we were at a turning point, and that each year was closing a chapter to enable the next one to open a new one which carries even greater challenges and opportunities.

To my even greater surprise, after hours of research, it became clear to me that, in fact, year after year I have been well justified in repeating myself. I wanted on this occasion to bring to the attention of my colleagues and friends who are assembled here today, the full list of events which justify the observation that in the past nine years our Department has, indeed, gone through an incredible obstacle race and that every year as we convene here, we could rightly look back at what we have achieved with a sense of satisfaction and completion, mixed with a sense of anticipation for the challenges which we knew the new year would bring to us. I felt that this would have been a very interesting exercise, as it would have spelt out the history of our Department for the past ten years, and highlighted the intensity, enormous difficulties and undeniable successes of the journey we have undertaken. However, I feel that I must leave this tempting presentation for another opportunity because I fear that most of you might not enjoy the presentation of an historical excursion requiring a speech of several hours. Therefore, I am afraid that at this juncture, those who doubt me, must take my word for the fact that this year we are, indeed, closing a major chapter in the history of our Department with a view to opening another one next year, and that such is the case in spite of our having the perception of this being an often repeated déjà vu.

Therefore, on this occasion I only want to say a few words, merely to highlight that during the past year we have finally launched our new system of migration control and established the Immigration Advisory Board which, upon its commencement, has hit the road and run, becoming one of the most prestigious and productive institutions within our Government. We have also finalised the work of the Electoral Task Team and produced legislation in terms of which the next elections can be held. In so doing, we have adopted the final piece of legislation which was required to conclude the long process of constitutional transformation which began on 2 February 1990 when the then State President, FW de Klerk, announced the beginning of the dismantling of apartheid. During this year we have also acquired a new Director-General who promises to give our Department sound, competent and effective leadership for at least the five-year period of his contract. The fact that we have these accomplishments behind us, gives us the full sense of completion of a task well done, in which we all need to take great pride. A particular word of thanks must go to all those who have been involved in the difficult process of shifting from the old, to the new system of migration control, which has been launched without any of the problems that the many usual prophets of doom had predicted.

I also remember that last year we lost our Deputy Minister, Mr Nqakula, who was appointed as Minister of Safety and Security. We were however delighted when the President appointed Mrs Mapisa-Nqukula to take the place of Minister Nqakula as our Deputy Minister of Home Affairs.

I remember last year that she was unable to be with us at the End of the Year function because of pressing family matters which needed her attention. I therefore wish to welcome our Deputy-Minister and to thank her for the important role that she plays in our Department and to wish her and her family every blessing at Christmas time.

As we look towards the new year we realise that there are challenges facing us, which, once accomplished and finalised, will give rise to a new beginning for our Department, with much greater horizons becoming available for our actions. Next year we must finalise the Identity Document component of the HANIS project and push forward effectively and efficiently the full measure of the devolution of the civic affairs delivery function to municipalities, traditional authorities, other organs of State and qualifying private entities. In this fashion the structure of our Department will be completely reorganised so that, against the backdrop of the HANIS project, we will be able to handle only the policy, organisational and capacity-building aspects of civic affairs. The project should be completed within a maximum of five years. I am waiting to receive the new proposed organisational diagram formulated during the past twelve months by our work-study in the hope that it may accurately reflect this vision and the challenges it entails.

Next year we will also need to finalise the missing components of the new system of migration control, namely a strong and effective inspectorate which can bring credible law enforcement into the field of migration, a credible structure which leads and co-ordinates effective border control and the new system of immigration courts. There are also new challenges confronting the field of refugee affairs. Next year also seems the time when our Department can finally begin receiving greater budgetary allocations and the green light to begin filling some of its many vacant posts after ten years of severe under-funding. This agenda by itself spells out that next year will be a most determining one in the history of our Department and that, by the time the Department comes together at a function similar to this in December 2004, it will have the feeling of having been dramatically changed and improved upon during the previous twelve months.

In our consideration of past and future we should not, however, forget the present. Real blessing is neither in the past, nor in the future, but only lies in the fugitive present moment. It is particularly true on this occasion, as the present moment is one of merriment, relaxation and good old-fashioned fun. I do not want this moment of joy to run away from us because of lengthy speeches and sober reflections. This is the time to eat, drink and be merry. I remember that once our former Deputy Director-General, Mr Lambinon, responded to someone who delivered a long speech at a reception like this one, by stating that there was a lot that he wanted to add to what had been said, but he was aware that the previous speaker had encroached on his drinking time. I do not want to be accused of encroaching on your time of merriment, and you know that I am someone who always encourages people to either not drink or to drink in moderation.

Therefore, I feel that now the speeches must subside to leave space for laughter and jovial chatting because all of you have greatly deserved this time of relaxation and enjoyment. I wish to thank all of you wholeheartedly for your hard work and dedication. I pray to God Almighty that He may extend to you and your families the full measure of blessings, which the holiday season promises to all of us. May you enjoy the holiday season and may God protect you and your families.

I thank you.

Source: Department of Home Affairs (http://home-affairs.pwv.gov.za)