Recently, Home Affairs minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi made an announcement that was highly positive: Home Affairs queues are set to cut down as branches will open in South African shopping malls!
As part of his speech on the occasion of the 2022/23 Budget Vote, Motsoaledi expressed that the department is exploring opening offices in major shopping centres.
“Operating Home Affairs offices at malls will obviate the problem of queuing in the sun or rain,” Motsoaledi mentioned.
Deputy minister, Njabulo Nzuza, concurred with the news in his speech, adding that five malls are already offering up spaces rent-free for five years.
This would mark a positive uptake, and cut down those dreaded queues that we as a nation know all too well.
Nzuza also noted that online options to process smart ID cards and passport applications are strengthening, with 28 banks connected to the Live Capture System.
Nzuza’s vision is that birth and death certificates will one day be the only walk-in necessities for Home Affairs.
Here’s where we can expect to see the department’s new mall spaces:
- Tygervalley mall (Cape Town)
- Menlyn Mall (Pretoria)
- Cresta Mall (Johannesburg)
- Southgate Mall (Johannesburg)
- The Pavillion (eThewkwini)
Also read: 10 of the Top Malls in Johannesburg
“Since the malls still have to move some tenants around to make way for Home Affairs, we will install our equipment there around September this year. We shall start with the Menlyn Mall in Pretoria and then roll-out to the rest,” Motsoaledi expressed.
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Picture: Holiday Apartments