The Department of Home Affairs wishes to outline civic services that are rendered at front offices in alert level 4 of the national state of disaster which had commenced on 1 May 2020.

The limited services were published in Government Notice No. R. 518 of 9 May 2020 together with directions on temporary measures regulating entry and exit from South Africa for emergency medical attention, return of SA citizens and repatriation of foreign nationals.

The services are rendered to citizens and other clients at civic services front offices across the country, between Monday and Friday, from 08h30 to 15h30, as follows:

REGISTRATION OF BIRTHS, EXCLUDING LATE REGISTRATION OF BIRTH

Births are registered at health facilities and local Home Affairs offices. Children not registered due to the (Level 5) national lockdown are to be registered at local Home Affairs offices.

Parents are therefore urged to visit their nearest Home Affairs offices to register these children, but to do so within the confines of what is permissible by the regulations in this period.

No Late Registration of Birth will be done during alert level 4 of the national state of disaster. However, children who were born between 26 February 2020 and 3 May 2020 do not fall in the category of Late Registration of Birth. Children born from 4 May 2020 must be registered within the mandatory 30 days of birth.

REGISTRATION OF DEATHS 

Deaths continue to be registered at local Home Affairs offices as was the case during Level 5 of the national state of disaster.

ISSUANCE OF TEMPORARY IDENTITY CERTIFICATES

Temporary Identity Certificates (TICs) are issued at local Home Affairs offices, on the spot. Those who had lost or misplaced their IDs may apply for the TICs in this period as no applications for IDs are accepted.

COLLECTION OF SMART ID CARDS

On 15 May 2020, the Department had 411 390 uncollected smart ID cards. It is imperative for citizens who had applied to collect their smart ID cards.

Smart ID card collection services are provided at all (modernized) live capture offices. No new applications will be accepted. Therefore, only those who had already applied should collect their smart ID cards. The same applies to green ID books (only collections are allowed).

REISSUE OF DOCUMENTS

Birth and death certificates are also reissued in alert level 4 for those who may have misplaced or lost their documents.

PASSPORTS FOR PERSONS ENGAGED IN DELIVERY OF ESSENTIAL GOODS

Passport services will be available only to persons who are engaged in the delivery of essential goods across SA borders and those who are travelling outside of the Republic for medical services. They must provide, as supporting documents, original letters from the employer or medical practitioner indicating the need for medical attention outside our borders.

MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONS DURING LEVEL 4

With the assistance of the Department’s provincial heads, senior management will continue monitoring the effective and responsible provision of the identified services in a manner that minimizes the risk of staff and clients’ exposure to infections.

Skeleton staff, shifts and the rotation system will continue to be used as effectively and efficiently as possible.

Managers will ensure that all Home Affairs offices comply with the following protocols:

• Monitoring of social distancing by floorwalkers: 2 metre markings on the floor inside and outside offices.
• Using personal protective equipment: hand sanitisers at entrances and inside offices; and wearing of face masks by all officials and all clients.
• Limiting of the number of clients who get into an office, to ensure social distancing.
• Cleaning of offices, regularly, with disinfectants.

Restrictions on services rendered are there to support the containment and management of the Corona Virus Disease of 2019 (COVID-19). It is for this reason that limited services are being offered, with the imperative to ensure citizens are enabled to have access to essential services especially in this difficult time.

All people in the country are encouraged to take every precaution to protect themselves and those around them from this deadly coronavirus.