KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube says the opening of a Home Affairs office at the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Westville, Durban, is a game-changer in how government provides services to the citizens.
Dube-Ncube joined Home Affairs Minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, to officially open the new Home Affairs office at the Pavilion Shopping Centre as part of the department’s ongoing efforts to make services easily accessible to the public.
The new office will offer application and collections services for IDs and passports. Clients will have the convenience of applying for these services as they do their shopping at the centre.
Dube-Ncube said the initiative aims to revolutionise citizen services, emphasising convenience, dignity, and efficiency.
‘The office will bring services closer to where our people shop, bank, eat, stay, play and work. For us, first and foremost, this office will bring dignity to our people,’ Dube-Ncube said.
The Premier said the strategic location of the office at the shopping centr
e is expected to alleviate the burden of long queues experienced at other Home Affairs offices in uMngeni, Pinetown and the Durban city centre.
‘By integrating government services into everyday spaces that people already frequent, the initiative aims to streamline processes and enhance the overall experience for citizens. Moreover, the presence of a government office within a bustling shopping centre is poised to redefine the public’s perception of and interaction with government services.
‘To have a government office in a shopping centre will change how people perceive and interact with government and it will bring efficiency and agility. By embracing innovation and adapting to contemporary needs, the initiative seeks to foster a culture of responsiveness and accessibility within the public sector,’ Dube-Ncube said.
WATCH | Opening of the Pavilion Shopping Centre Home Affairs office
Home Affairs extended working hours.
Motsoaledi reiterated that the department wants to ensure that it brings services to
the people where they are.
‘We promised Parliament that we are going to expand the platforms where South Africans receive Home Affairs services. One of those platforms is to expand to malls,’ Motsoaledi said.
The opening of Home Affairs office follows the launch of offices at Menlyn Shopping Centre at Pretoria East in March 2023, and Cresta in April 2024.
READ | Home Affairs opens three offices this Saturday
In his 2023 Budget Vote Speech, Motsoaledi announced that his department wants to create multiple platforms to assist people with applications for their IDs, passports, and other essential documents.
Source: South African Government News Agency