Cape Town - The Department of Home Affairs has opened a "world class" office inside the trendy Maynard Shopping Mall in Wynberg, Cape Town.
The spacious office, with a staff complement of 48, is earmarked to receive between 250 and 300 clients a day. It was officially opened by the department's Deputy Minister Fatima Cohen on Monday morning.
The Deputy Minister said plans were afoot to install an electronic queue management system and webcams to monitor service delivery and safety.
The move has been seen as a huge improvement from the previous office, which was on Millbank Road in the same area.
That office was housed in a dilapidated building and was characterized by power outages, among other problems, triggering complaints from clients.
The search for alternative accommodation began in 2006 when then Deputy Minister Malusi Gigaba promised the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs to relocate the office to a "more conducive premises."
"I feel like moving from the bush to the city... this is great improvement," said Lance Sherrell, who came for assistance.
Sherrell said that he hoped the improved building would translate to improved services. He suggested that the staff should wear uniform for better identification.
"It's (new office) awesome. It's world class. It looks smarter and clean," said another client, who asked not to be named.
In her remarks, Cohen said the grand plan was to improve offices across the country for efficient service delivery.
Improvements have been made on the Barrack Street Office in Cape Town and the Bellville and Paarl offices would be next, the department said.
Cohen called on the staff not only to serve the clients, but to lead the fight against organised crime involving forged documents. - BuaNews
