In 2021, I blew the whistle on the dire state of the Cleary Park Home Affairs office, where staffing shortages and service backlogs had left the Northern Areas in limbo. I wrote to the Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs and the Speaker of Parliament, but these pleas were met with silence.
Following the appointment of Democratic Alliance MP, Dr Leon Schreiber, as the new Minister of Home Affairs, I renewed these efforts. I am pleased to report that our persistence has led to action.
This week marks a breakthrough. Mobile Home Affairs teams have begun operating across the Northern Areas as part of a high-impact outreach programme, allowing residents to apply for Smart ID cards close to home. This is not just a campaign. It is the result of years of oversight, advocacy, and direct engagement on behalf of the people of this community.
In a letter received this week, Minister Schreiber confirmed several important developments.
Download correspondence here, here and here.
Staffing at the Cleary Park office has increased from five to eight permanent officials, including personnel assigned to a permanent mobile unit that has now been deployed specifically to the Northern Areas.
A major outreach campaign is currently underway, with four mobile teams assisting residents. A second phase will follow this in early July, focused on distributing Smart ID cards to those who applied during the initial phase.
Download the poster for mobile outreach
The Department has also committed to ongoing improvements, including the rollout of digital systems to streamline services and reduce manual processing. A stakeholder forum has been launched in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality to ensure better coordination and communication going forward.
The Department’s own data shows a marked improvement in service performance at Cleary Park. Since 2022, Smart ID applications and collections have nearly doubled, reflecting the positive impact of this intervention and the sustained pressure applied by the DA.
Minister Schreiber is expected to visit Gqeberha in July. During the visit, he will meet with the local stakeholder forum, distribute completed IDs at Cleary Park, and formally respond to issues raised by our Constituency Office.
While these developments are encouraging, they are only the beginning. We will continue to monitor the situation at Cleary Park, press for the filling of all vacant posts, and ensure that the commitments made are honoured in full.
This is what happens when public representatives act with persistence and purpose. The DA remains committed to delivering dignity, access to services, and real change to the Northern Areas.