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Ladies and gentlemen of the media:

The Department of Home Affairs is progressively conquering many of the challenges it confronted in the past ten years. In leading the department at the completion of my term of office after the next elections, I am confident that I am leaving behind a department that has recovered from its many crises and problems and is now working adequately. The new system of migration control has almost been completed. The final Regulations have been finalised and were ready for publication, but they have been delayed because Cabinet thought to take the unprecedented step of wanting to scrutinise their content.

I have instructed my Director-General to submit to me a final proposal to be brought to Cabinet on the technical features and procurement modalities of the last component of the HANIS project, namely the new identity cards. The finalisation of this matter was delayed to enable the new Director-General to acquaint himself with its many difficult issues and facets, which he has now done. He has informed me that transaction advisors have been appointed and I should be receiving the final recommendation for my scrutiny shortly.

I am considering the turnaround strategy submitted by the Director-General. It will move forward the strategy of devolving the delivery aspects of civic affairs to municipalities and other local entities capable and reliable of doing so. My working relationship with my Director-General has passed the test of time and is now beginning to yield some of its intended fruits. Should I leave my department I am now confident that it has adequate administrative leadership and a man of integrity at its stewardship.

In preparation for the forthcoming General Election scheduled for 14 April this year, the Department of Home Affairs has remained steadfast in its commitment to providing eligible South Africans with enabling documentation to exercise their democratic rights to vote.

To be able to exercise this democratic right, all South Africans who are 18 years and older, should have bar-coded identity documents (Ids) or temporary identity certificates (TICs) to enable them to vote. A bar-coded ID is the legitimate enabling document needed to cast a vote in South Africa's democratic elections.

A TIC is a document issued by the Department of Home Affairs after the ID applications have been captured, processed and approved in the national computer database. A TIC could be issued to first applicants whose applications have been processed in the system although they have not yet received their IDs. South Africans could apply for a TIC at any Home Affairs Office even if they have applied for their IDs in a different office in another province or region.

Since the launch of the national Identity Document Campaign in June last year, about 2,2 million people were issued with free photos and IDs until the end of January this year. The department absorbed all costs normally associated with the re-issue of IDs.

With the close of voter registration today, the department will no longer give free photos for applications for IDs, but will continue to give first issues of IDs for free to first time applicants. The first time applicants will however be responsible for paying for their photos as was the case before the campaign started.

Members of the public who are applying for TICs, for the purpose of taking part in the 14 April General Elections will still be issued with free photos and free TICs until the election date.

Last week, the Department of Home Affairs conducted a broad assessment of its impact in empowering eligible South Africans with the requisite documentation to register and to seize the opportunity to vote in the next general elections following the voter registration weekend that took place from 24 to 25 January 2004.

I am pleased to announce that the assessment revealed that the department did everything in its power to provide free photos and free TICs to enable people to register. More than 3,17 million IDs were dispatched to their rightful owners from January 2003 to January 2004. I am confident and proud to say that the department has lived up to the challenge of providing all those required with the necessary enabling documentation.

Registration on the voters' roll is critical for a successful election and the sustenance of democracy. The Electoral Commission (IEC) voter registration weekends of 8 and 9 November 2003, and 24 and 25 January 2004 were of critical importance in preparing the country for a successful election with a high level of participation.

Currently, the department is processing and approving at least 100 000 IDs a week. For January 2004 alone, the department has issued 402 289 IDs to their rightful owners. Out of this number, 255 284 were first ID applications and 257 340 were reissues. More encouragingly, from 19 to 31 January 2004, the department also managed to issue 39 571 TICs.

In accordance with the Batho Pele principles, officials of the department worked overtime and continue to do so in order to ensure that all those who have applied, receive their IDs in time. Accordingly, we would like to thank all South Africans who took advantage and continue to do so in ensuring that they apply for their bar-coded IDs in time.

This overwhelming impact can be attributed to the quality of dexterity and an effective public awareness strategy, which includes amongst others, lists of names of applicants displayed in taxi ranks, mobile units, door-to-door deliveries, the utility of the South African Post Offices, engaging parliamentary constituency offices, working very closely with other government departments, councillors, community-based organisations to display and inform people to come and collect their IDs. Letters were also sent out to applicants to inform them to collect their IDs. Other multimedia approaches used include radio adverts in both national and community radios, posters, billboards, newspaper adverts, television adverts and leaflets.

The department has taken its services to the citizens of South Africa in rural areas, hospitals, prisons and schools. A number of 284 mobile units were deployed countrywide for the collection of application forms and the distribution of IDs. Related to this, I am also pleased to announce that the 67 mobile units which will be computerised, well-equipped and capacitated will be launched during the course of this year.

To the extent that we live up to our commitment to bring government services closer to the people, the mobile units will continue to assist us to close the chasm that has been created as a result of the apartheid legacy. We cannot afford to perpetuate an anomalous situation wherein the majority of our people travel long distances to access government services.

I am also thrilled to announce that the department will ensure that the ID campaign will proceed beyond the elections. As part of the department's Turn Around strategy, we will continue to use all means available including mobile units to ensure that our services reach the people. The department remains alive to the fact that a bar-coded ID enables South Africans to access other opportunities and services brought about by democracy.

An ID affirms one's identity as a South African. It facilitates access to government services and benefits, such as social grants, e.g. child support grants, foster care grants, disability grants, old age grants, grants in aid, housing, education, health care and job opportunities.

Understandably, as we try to turn the tide by providing a world class service to all South Africans, we have to address challenges of limited resources, and lack of capacity. In this context, we have noted the following challenges:

The Department is currently receiving more than 30 000 ID applications a day. In order to ensure that all potential voters are not left out of the voters' roll net, we prioritised first applicants in an attempt to ensure that TICs are issued to them for the purposes of registration. As a result of this monumental increase in the workload of the department, the turn around time is affected due to limited human resource capacity.

Whilst the provision of free photos until the end of the voter registration period has empowered South Africans to exercise their democratic right, even those who are not in need (particularly those who are already in possession of IDs that are still in good condition) have taken advantage to re-apply for new IDs.

Initially, some of the IDs could not be finalised due to the inferior quality of photographs taken by contracted photographers. Encouragingly, our intervention and interaction with the affected parties has helped minimize this challenge.

Some of the applicant's addresses are not serviceable and, therefore, it is very difficult to trace them. However, our continued dynamic partnership with stakeholders like the media, parliamentary constituencies offices, councillors and traditional leaders has helped to raise awareness for them to collect.

Despite these challenges, there is hope. To succeed we need to build a partnership of all sectors of our society to ensure that they become active and conscious participants in the process of social change and consolidation of our nascent democracy.

As we prepare for the celebration of the decade of freedom, we would like to call upon all South African citizens who are in possession of a green bar-coded ID or TIC to exercise their democratic rights to vote. Voting in elections is a fundamental and hard-won right and citizens have a responsibility to exercise it and keep our democracy strong.

Issued by: Ministry of Home Affairs
11 February 2004