Home affairs systems may be online again according to the department but customers are still being turned away ostensibly because “were are offline”.
Social media users who visited the home affairs in the north of Pretoria and others around the country have reported still being turned away.
Social media user Lindsay Smith Bossert said the department has “failed dismally in improving quality”.
“The system is still down with no explanation – and 8 May is around the corner.”
Offline again at the Akasia office.
— Moše (@iJazzMo) April 9, 2019
At Paarl branch systems are down so are the problems from last week really resolved and how many other areas are down and what are the plans to fix?! You have brought the country and its citizens to a standstill!
— Jason Slinger (@stepinside) April 9, 2019
Apparently not – Cape Town Head Office just telling everyone they’re offline today
— Tom Burgers (@tomBurgers11) April 9, 2019
You have failed dismally in improving quality. The system is still down with no explanation! 8th May is around the corner. @MYANC @Our_DA
— Lindsay SmithBossert (@Lindsay100SB) April 8, 2019
Please assist.I am tired of waking up at https://t.co/oUwWFECEQL, sit until 08:00 am just be rudely advised that the systems are offline. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
— Nonhlanhla Mayise (@Mvungane) April 4, 2019
No you're not. I Haverton turned away at Barrack Street as well as Atlantis today!!!
— byron petzer (@byronpetz) April 9, 2019
Guys i applied for a passport the 2 April. Today when i was enquiring on it status. It wasnt captured on the system but I had to pay R400 the helpdesk infomed me it was due to a system going off line. Not good as my flight is booked for Friday
— Sarel (@SarelStick) April 8, 2019
Last week the 193 home affairs offices suffered service interruptions because of an upgrade to their live capture system between 29-31 March to modernise it, said spokesperson Siyabonga Qoza.
He said due to the magnitude of the software upgrade, “several technical errors were encountered that affected operations”.
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Yesterday he said about 80% of the “front offices” would transact and issue enabling documents by Tuesday.
“To date, only nine offices are reported to have camera errors which are being addressed; however, all other services including collection of IDs, passports and processing of births, marriages and deaths are online and available.”
Qoza said the modernisation of the department would include technology such as a new national identity system.
“We currently operate in an environment presenting many challenges with regard to meeting service delivery standards consistently. A major factor is that the department’s footprint is only partially aligned with the location and size of communities.”
He said another problem was the quality of infrastructure such as office space, networks and access widely varied from office to office.
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Most of the department’s front offices are rented by the Department of Public Works.
“This prevents us from modernising all of our offices,” he said.
“In spite of this, 193 out of 411 front line offices were converted to use a fully digital process for issuing smart ID cards and secure passports by March. Fourteen banks also operated during this period.”
“The department is thankful to citizens for their patience, and reiterates its apology for service interruptions.”
https://twitter.com/samke_vilakazi/status/1113090404147253248
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