Statement by Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni on plans for the festive period, including extension of office hours.
Extension of office hours at ports of entry
The annual festive period which is an occasion of significance for many people in our country and elsewhere is around the corner, promising as always, a surge in traveller numbers.Accordingly, selected ports of entry will between 10 December 2015 and 14 January 2016 operate on extended hours, with additional staff and extra resources. This will cater for the pre-festive season movement, the post-festive season period and the re-opening of schools in the New Year. Affected are those ports where an increase in traveller movement is expected.
The two major land ports of entry, Beitbridge and Lebombo, continue to receive the majority of travellers during the festive period. How we provide this service goes a long way in profiling our country to visitors and investors. It is good for strengthening relations in the SADC region and in presenting SA as a tourist destination of choice.
Some of the specific roles and responsibilities to be discharged in conjunction with relevant government departments will be to,
• Facilitate legitimate movement of persons, motorised or non-motorised vehicles, goods and trade (cargo)
• Ensure the security of persons, property, assets, systems and resources
• Prevent, detect, deter and control cross-border communicable diseases, illegitimate movements, activities, trade and transactions; and
• Support ports operations.
Ports of entry already operating 24 hours, like Beitbridge and Maseru Bridge, are included in these special arrangements for the festive period.
Issuing of unabridged birth certificates.
We wish to remind all citizens ahead of the festive season that the regulations specific to travelling with children have not changed.Accordingly, for all children under the age of 18 years, including unaccompanied minors, an Unabridged Birth Certificate is still required.Specifically for the festive season, our Civic Services Branch has put in place plans to assist those who will be travelling with children, including for unaccompanied minors, especially around the issuance of Unabridged Birth Certificates or letters in lieu of such. Already there is a team in place assigned rapidly to respond to issues regarding this essential document, and, importantly, to see to it that the certificate is issued within the specified period.
You would know that all things being equal it takes 8 weeks to apply for and be issued with an Unabridged Birth Certificate. Necessarily, those who had applied would require this certificate for each travelling child. Those whose applications had exceeded 8 weeks, and had not received the certificates, are advised to visit their Home Affairs office where they will be given a letter to use in the place of the Unabridged Birth Certificate, this is, in the event that they need to travel.This letter, in lieu of the Unabridged Birth Certificate, can only be issued to those people who had been waiting for the certificates for a period exceeding 8 weeks.
For children, under 18, who have passports, we have done a pre-modification in terms of which our offices are able to issue them with Unabridged Birth Certificates on the spot.We will avail dedicated numbers for people to call for assistance regarding the birth certificates–072 634 0614 / 072 634 0589 / 073 567 6208 / 073 567 5968.After April 2016, for purposes of clarity, and largely because the distinction would have served the intended purpose, the term “Unabridged Birth Certificate” will be changed to “Birth Certificate,” of course containing parental details.In sum, enhancing operations at ports of entry in this period will promote efficient and effective processing of travellers.
We wish you, and all citizens and clients, a joyful end-of-year, and a Happy New Year. Safety comes first, especially on the road. I thank you!
