Gigaba appoints Thulani Mavuso as Home Affairs' Acting Director General

Gigaba appoints Thulani Mavuso as Home Affairs’ acting director general

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Mavuso replaces Mkuseli Apleni who resigned earlier this month to join the private sector at Discovery banking.

The Department of Home Affairs, in a statement released on Monday, said that Mavuso had vast experience in his field. He is currently employed as the deputy director general for institutional planning and support at Home Affairs.

He was also the acting deputy director general for information services.

The department confirmed that Apleni had started the handover process to Mavuso to “ensure a smooth transition pending his departure”.

Gigaba has appointed Nthumeni Nengovhela to take over as acting deputy director general for information services.

“While we will commence with the recruitment processes for the new director-general, we needed to put in place a strong team to continue to steer the department in the right direction as we seek to reimagine a new Home Affairs,” Gigaba said.

Source: News24

Gigaba confirms resignation of Home Affair DG Mksuleli Aplen

Gigaba confirms resignation of Home Affairs DG Mkuseli Apleni

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“I would like to announce officially that the director-general of the Department of Home Affairs, Mr Mkuseli Apleni, has tendered his resignation, effective end of July 2018, to pursue other career opportunities in the private sector,” Gigaba told the media at a briefing in Hatfield, Pretoria.

Former Home Affairs minister Hlengiwe Mkhize suspended Apleni in September last year.

Apleni, who was appointed to the position in 2010, successfully challenged the suspension in the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria.

Gigaba said on Monday they would announce an acting DG by next week, and was hoping a new DG would be appointed within the next three months.

“I have seen the department at its lowest and where it is now. I know what a diligent public servant he [Apleni] is. He has deep insight of…[the] work and branches of the department,” Gigaba said.

Apleni said at the briefing that he wanted to thank government for the opportunities he received.

“The [new] opportunity that was presented to me was in the private sector. I will be joining Discovery Banking.

“What is important for me is to look forward,” he said.

Source: News24

New application process for South African police clearance certificates

Attention: New Application Process for South African Police Clearance Certificates

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Following new developments, it has become the responsibility of the South African Police Station (SAPS) within the applicant(s) region to compile and deliver the applications to the Criminal Record Centre (CRC) on behalf of the applicant(s). Please note that this new process will likely result in longer turnaround times. We will keep you posted as we learn more.
SA passports may soon become much more desirable, this foreign expert believes

SA passports may soon become much more desirable, this foreign expert believes

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“Other factors that could strengthen the South African passport over the short-to-medium-term include President Cyril Ramaphosa’s intention to ease visa restrictions for African passport holders so as to induce greater intra-Africa trade,” Cummings said.

South Africa fell to 50th position on the most recent Henley Passport Index, measuring the strength of passports, down 15 places from a high of 35 in 2008.

Both Seychelles and Mauritius surpass South Africa, with passports at position 24 and 28.

Cummings said South Africa’s drop in the ranking was caused by concerns over the unlawful replication of passports, often abetted by corrupt officials within the department of home affairs.”

“These concerns saw visa regulations being enforced by several countries, including the UK and Colombia.”

An improvement at home affairs could see such decisions reversed.

The department is in the middle of a major upgrade of its systems, including going paperless.

South Africans can travel to over 100 countries visa-free, including Russia, Brazil and Ireland.

Amanda Smit, director at Henley & Partners South Africa, said South Africa hasn’t managed to increase the number of places passport holders can travel to easily.

“It has not improved its global access levels as quickly as other high-performing countries on the index, leading to an overall decline in its passport power,” Smit said.

Source: Business Insider

You don't need an unabridged birth certificate to travel anymore - if you do this

You don’t need an unabridged birth certificate to travel anymore – if you do this

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This is in line with the Department of Home Affairs’s new modernisation drive.

The move is set to appease parents travelling with minors‚ without necessarily compromising on security.

The move puts SA on the same level as most countries that already list the names of the parents on a child’s passport and removes the need to have an unabridged birth certificate.

Travellers from foreign countries who do not list the names of parents in minors’ passports still need to provide unabridged birth certificates.

Source: BusinessLIVE