Home Affairs denies passport crisis

Home Affairs has denied that an embargo has been placed on the issuing of new passports because the department has run out of blank passports. They say they continue to print passports as expected to afford South Africans an opportunity to travel to other countries. The department’s Nkosana Sibuyi says they are expecting a huge consignment of paper for the printing of passports next week. Double the quantity will be delivered in June.

Beeld reported on Friday that Home Affairs had placed a national embargo on the issuing of normal passports. The DA later called for the resignation of the Minister of Home Affairs, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, and her deputy amid the reports of a crisis.