Home Affairs Department open on Saturday's ahead of elections

The Department of Home Affairs has extended weekend operations for the collection of Identity Documents ahead of the May elections.

PICTURE: Home Affairs

The department says the extension is also for the facilitation of new applications and issuance of Temporary Identity Certificates.

‘’Offices will also be resolving challenges pertaining to duplicates, amendments, rectifications and dead-alive cases with the required supporting documents,’’ said Siya Qoza, Department of Home Affairs Spokesperson.

Operational hours will be extended for five hours on Saturdays from 8am until 1pm - until the 25 of May. This excludes the 27 April, as it is a public holiday [Freedom Day]

Qoza says mobile offices are also scheduled to return to deliver IDs in the remote areas where they took applications from.

‘’Local offices, working with stakeholders that include councillors, will communicate the dates, times and venues of those visits. Mobile offices will be used to support the identified local offices.’’

In addition, clients can now book appointments to collect their Smart ID Cards and Green barcoded ID books before visiting offices by using the  Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS) ,  which is available on the DHA Website –  www.dha.gov.za  through this link;  BABS .

Alternatively, clients can simply visit Home Affairs offices without making a booking.

“We invite people who have applied for their IDs, particularly young people who are first time applicants, to come to our offices to collect their documents. This initiative gives people more options to collect their enabling documents,” said Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Njabulo Nzuza.

‘’We encourage clients who have applied for identification documents and have received their SMS notifications, to seize this opportunity by visiting their Home Affairs office to collect these critical documents,’’ he added.

  

Done By: Mitchum George