Home Affairs introduces fast passport services for South Africans living abroad
In a landmark move to restore dignity and improve service delivery for South Africans living overseas, the Department of Home Affairs has launched a series of new international service centres, drastically reducing passport turnaround times from over a year to just five weeks.
Announcing the rollout, Minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber said the initiative aims to resolve long-standing frustrations experienced by citizens abroad who previously faced delays of up to 18 months for documents such as passports.
'The rollout of these service centres is yet another step on our journey towards delivering Home Affairs @ home,' said Minister Schreiber.
'Home Affairs is now closer than ever before for South Africans living abroad.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Gogta under fire for defying court order
The Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) is under fire for defying a court order to pay over R9 million to the Insika Foundation, one of its former implementing agents in the Community Work Programme (CWP).Legal experts now say that key department leaders — including Minister V.K. Hlabisa, Director-General Mbulelo Ntshangama, Deputy Director-General Pankie Matomela, and CWP Finance Authority Mawande Skenjana are complicit in contempt of court. Despite a binding High Court ruling and a failed appeal attempt, the Department has refused to pay the money owed, effectively collapsing the Insika Foundation and severely disrupting a programme that supports thousands of vulnerable South Africans. Court Victory, Government Defiance Insika Foundation approached the Gauteng Division of the High Court in 2024, seeking a 'mandamus' — a court order compelling COGTA to pay R9,291,633.42 for services delivered in April 2024. The Court granted the order on 12 July 2024. COGTA then tried to appeal but was dismissed with costs on 5 November 2024. The Court's ruling was clear: the Department must pay Insika with interest and attorney-client scale legal fees. Yet, the Department, led by DG Mbulelo Ntshangama, has refused to comply. Despite follow-ups and official correspondence to the Minister and his team, Insika has received no payment and no communication. This non-compliance puts COGTA in direct contempt of court, a serious legal offence that undermines the rule of law. Minister and Top Officials Now Complicit The blame now falls squarely on the leadership of the Department. Minister V.K. Hlabisa – Politically responsible and repeatedly warned about the Department's legal defiance. DG Mbulelo Ntshangama – The accounting officer, legally obligated to ensure compliance with court orders and fiscal responsibility, DDG Pankie Matomela – Head of the Community Work Programme, responsible for oversight and implementation and Mawande Skenjana** – CWP Finance Authority, tasked with ensuring payment processing and financial accountability. 'These officials are not just negligent — they are actively violating a court order,' said constitutional law analyst Adv. Thando Lekganyane. 'This opens them up to personal liability and possible criminal charges.' Collapse of Insika Foundation and CWP Fallout The Department's unlawful refusal to pay has financially destroyed the Insika Foundation, a non-profit that delivered critical community work services for COGTA. Unable to pay staff or continue operations, the organisation has shut down its work, leaving thousands of CWP participants unpaid, unsupported, and in crisis. 'We've followed the law. We won in court. Yet the government is treating us like criminals,' said Insika CEO Ziphozethu Busisiwe Matheniwa. 'Their refusal to pay has collapsed our business and left entire communities abandoned.' This isn't an isolated incident. Insika's experience reflects a broader pattern where small contractors and non-profits collapse after doing legitimate business with the government, only to be ignored or financially strangled when payment is due. CWP in Freefall: Chaos and Confusion Following the collapse of service providers like Insika, COGTA opted to 'insource' the CWP instead of renewing contracts. But internal documents show the Department was unprepared. Contracts with financial administrators and site management staff are set to expire in March 2025, with no clear plan for extension, recruitment, or budget allocation. Although the Department has requested contract extensions through DDG Matomela and Finance Authority Skenjana, delays and dysfunction persist. There is no operational clarity, and site-level staff have reported missed payments, poor communication, and a total lack of support. Legal Action Looms Insika has now signalled its intention to pursue further legal relief, including a Personal costs order for failure to comply with court rulings and a formal complaint to Parliament and the Public Protector. 'This isn't just about money anymore,' said Matheniwa. 'It's about the government's duty to respect the law — and the people who serve the country.' A Government Breaking Its Own Laws As communities go without support and legitimate service providers collapse, the silence from COGTA's leadership is deafening. For Insika Foundation and the thousands of CWP participants depending on this programme, the damage is already done. And unless the Department reverses course, the constitutional crisis may only deepen.
Daily Maverick
7 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
After the Bell: The Budget Battle is over. Long live the Budget Battle!
The government has to provide many more people with a lot more, with a lot less money. And that's never easy. This means that a process of budget reform is now starting … and it will not be easy. I've often noticed that in my working life, after a big project, or tussle or fight, as soon as it's over, another one begins. It's in the nature of the beast I suppose; capitalism won't allow you to stand still and you have to move from one thing to another. And often the companies and people that are able to do this in the quickest and best ways are the most successful. I don't know if I can use the word 'successful' in connection with our coalition government… But now that it's finally over — the fight around the Budget — a new fight is about to begin. And I think, and fear, it will be a lot more intense than the old fight we have just seen. The government has to provide many more people with a lot more, with a lot less money. And that's never easy. This means that a process of budget reform is now starting … and it will not be easy. I'm sure you've been in a position, at a meeting around a table, or just sitting in your work chair while your boss or the manager or the CEO's boss or some idiot from head office has given the most non-rousing speech you've ever heard, and then had the nerve to mention the R-word. (No, not Recession. Worse than that. Resilient.) I hate that word. I didn't know one could hate a word, I mean seriously. But I do. I hate it with a passion. It always means someone is demanding I do more with less. Basically, I'm being screwed over. Now, in a company, there are all sorts of ways to save money — you can often cut back on some of the goodies. No serious person needs a cappuccino machine; everyone can get by on proper coffee. And often there are ways to make more money. Governments can't do that. They have to make do with what they have. And reforming them is much, much slower. Our current Budget is all about trade-offs. Now I'm not a big fan of people in uniform carrying weapons; the whole idea can scare me. I'm from a generation of South Africans where the phrase 'Law and Order' reminds me of Adriaan Vlok and the worst of the 1980s. But even I can't deny that the SANDF needs more money. And it needs it now. No one can seriously argue that health and education budgets can be cut. But there is plenty that can and must be done. So much of the wastage happens long after the departmental budget process. I mean, can anyone seriously believe that stacking Gauteng hospital boards with leaders from the ANC Youth League is a good idea? Some other cuts are obvious. The Ministry of Small Business Development gives me the impression it has done nothing for anybody. I don't know what the Ministry of Women, Youth and People Living with Disabilities does? (And I worry that creating a special ministry for some people can ghetto-ise them anyway.) There are some other obvious examples around salaries. If you look at our roads, would you seriously suggest the CEO of the Road Traffic Management Corporation should get more than R10-million a year? And a big chunk of this is a performance bonus? How the… Then there is the Road Accident Fund. Its currently suspended CEO Collins Letsoalo was getting about the same. And had the gall to spend a lot more money on bodyguards. I also think that making cuts is politically hard. There will be so many bad actors that will just get in the way. We are living in an environment where many people have made a strong case to allow Starlink to operate in our massive and largely rural country. And yet the EFF has decided it will die on the hill of opposing the changes to the law that would allow it to come here. Much of this opposition will be performative and idiotic. Just yesterday, the MK party managed to vote against every department budget and then cast its ballots in favour of the actual Appropriations Bill. Colleen Makhubele was an incredibly disruptive and incompetent Speaker in Johannesburg. It looks like she might have the same impact on MK as its Chief Whip. Instead, I think what is going to have to happen is that a group of National Treasury bureaucrats will have to get together, work out what needs to be cut and just present that to the politicians. And if they do it properly, basically putting the politicians in a position where they just have to accept it, then this fight might be a little easier.
Daily Maverick
10 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Building a Career in Marketing
The second session of the 2025 Marketing Masterclass series, hosted by Daily Maverick in partnership with eatbigfish Africa, the Association for Communication & Advertising (ACA), and the Marketing Association of South Africa (MASA), delved into what it takes to build a successful marketing career in today's fast-changing world. Hosted by David Blyth and Khaya Dlanga from eatbigfish Africa, the session featured two inspiring voices: Sharon Keith, Non-Executive Director, Consultant and Coach, began her career in HR before transitioning into marketing at Unilever. Sharon has since built a globally recognised career, holding marketing leadership roles for some of the worlds most admired brands. Suhana Gordhan, Chief Creative Officer at LoveSong and founder of Open Chair. Suhana has forged a celebrated path in advertising as a copywriter and creative director, known for her award-winning work and advocacy for inclusion in the industry. Their journeys and insights offered a powerful reminder that a successful marketing career isn't built on a straight line – it's built on curiosity, resilience, and an unwavering connection to people. Career Paths That Break the Mold Both speakers began their careers outside of marketing, and both credit that diversity of experience as a strength. Sharon shared her story of persistence after multiple rejections and how her move from HR into marketing ignited her passion for influencing human behaviour and building brands. Suhana has a background in drama and English – she entered the advertising world through copywriting, eventually rising through the ranks to creative leadership. Her latest endeavour, Open Chair, focuses on improving representation and creating opportunities for women in advertising, a sector that still faces significant gender gaps in senior leadership. Human Insight Over Hype One of the main themes that resonated strongly throughout the discussion was that marketers need stay close to real people. Sharon emphasised how field immersion – spending time with consumers, in their environments, helped organisations like Unilever develop marketing and advertising that would resonate more deeply with South Africans. 'Great marketing starts where the consumer lives, not where the marketer sits,' she noted. In an era dominated by dashboards and data, both panellists called for marketers to get out from behind their screens and back into the real world. Technology is a Tool, Not a Crutch AI and automation featured prominently in the conversation, but not as a magic bullet. Both speakers acknowledged that while AI can assist and accelerate processes, creativity still demands human nuance, lived experienced, cultural understanding, and emotional intelligence. Technology should amplify creativity, not replace it – warning against the temptation to rely solely on algorithms for insight. Building Inclusive Communities Diversity and inclusion aren't just buzzwords, they're business imperatives. Suhana spoke passionately about relaunching Open Chair with the backing of industry leaders. The initiative provides mentorship and networking opportunities for women in advertising, aiming to close the gender gap in senior roles and create a pipeline of future leaders. Advice for Young Marketers For those starting out in their careers, the panellists offered practical guidance: Be open, resilient, and stay curious. Success often comes from unexpected directions. Learn actively and seek feedback. Growth is a conversation, not a solo journey. Understand the bigger picture. Marketing is about how your work drives revenue, profit, and shareholder value. The Marketer's Mandate Marketing remains central to business success, but the expectations of marketers are evolving. Both speakers emphasised that marketers need to raise the bar – not only in the quality of their work but also in how they advocate for their role internally. They advised those thinking of entering the industry to invest in continuous learning, to join industry bodies, and to contribute to conversations that move the profession forward. They emphasised how important it is to lead with empathy – because creativity thrives in environments where people feel safe, and are happy. Leading with Humanity The discussion closed with a powerful reminder: treat people well. The next session in the series is on 31 July and will continue this journey of learning and inspiration. Stay tuned to for details and join the conversation shaping the future of marketing in South Africa. DM
