Deputy minister visits Home Affairs office after fire

Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza has visited the Germiston Home Affairs office following a fire that engulfed the building on August 12.

Preliminary reports suggest the fire started when protesters threw a petrol bomb onto the office’s first floor, causing major disruption to services.

William Ntladi, spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Service, confirmed that the two-storey building was severely damaged, but no injuries were reported.

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Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, said on social media that a case had been opened and that the department was working closely with SAPS to provide evidence for swift arrests and convictions.

To ensure services continue, mobile Home Affairs offices have been deployed:

• Smart ID card and passport applications are being processed at the Germiston Civic Service Centre car park.
• Reprints of certificates can be done at any Home Affairs office in Gauteng.
• Late registration of births is being handled at the Alberton and Boksburg offices.

For other services, including marriages, clients are advised to visit alternative Home Affairs offices. Nzuza will also inspect the mobile offices to assess service delivery levels.

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The government strongly condemned the attack. Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) acting director-general Terry Vandayar said vandalism undermined the hard-won rights and freedoms of South Africans and unfairly burdened taxpayers.

“While the Constitution guarantees the right to protest, it must be exercised peacefully and lawfully, respecting the rights of others and safeguarding public property.

“Violence and destruction are not acceptable means of expressing grievances and will not be tolerated,” Vandayar said.