Lecture Notes: New Minister of Home Affairs

Introduction

• Speaker Announcement: Appointment of new Minister of Home Affairs.
• Purpose: Share expectations and focus areas for the new Minister.

Key Areas of Focus

Continuation of Business-Friendly Changes

• Importance of continuing policies from the previous Minister.
• Tes initiative was positively received.
• Advocate for a second round to benefit large companies that missed the November deadline.

Publishing the Scorecard for General Work Visa

• Mention of amended regulations by the previous Minister.
• Emphasis on the need for the scorecard – considered as easy wins and quick fixes.

Leadership in Immigration

• Positive positioning of immigration in South Africa.
• Immigration can grow the economy when planned well.
• Two-Fold Leadership:
  • Internal communication to departmental employees to improve attitudes.
  • External communication to change negative perceptions towards immigration.

Reducing Processing Times

• Work Visas: Focus to grow the economy; many outstanding temporary resident applications.
• Foreign Spouses: 2-year wait times are unreasonable.
• Waiver Department: Currently dysfunctional; requires immediate attention.
• Permanent Residence: Reducing processing times can save costs on litigation.

Adherence to Court Orders

• Improving respect for court orders and legal decisions.
• Importance of adhering to court orders to avoid litigation and contempt of court.

Civic Services

• Issues in rural areas with delayed ID book provision (up to 5 years).
• ID numbers are essential for various socio-economic benefits.
• System Upgrades: Crucial updates needed for IT systems.

Engagement with Private Companies

• Need for better engagement with private sector stakeholders.
• Recognizing that private companies also seek system improvements, not just private gains.
• Important for the system to work better for all (countries, people, foreigners, South Africans).

Conclusion

• Final Thought: Open ear for positive contributions from private companies to improve the system.
• Closing: Goodbye.