Department of Home Affairs (South Africa)

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Wikipedia

Department of Home Affairs
List
  • 10 other official names:
  • Departement van Binnelandse Sake (Afrikaans)
  • umNyango wezangeKhaya (Southern Ndebele)
  • iSebe leMicimbi yezeKhaya (Xhosa)
  • uMnyango Wezindaba Zasekhaya (Zulu)
  • Litiko Letasekhaya (Swazi)
  • Kgoro ya Merero ya Legae (Northern Sotho)
  • Lefapha la Merero ya Lehae (Sotho)
  • Lefapha la Merero ya Selegae (Tswana)
  • Ndzawulo ya Xikaya (Tsonga)
  • Muhasho wa zwa Muno (Venda)
Logo of the department
Department overview
FormedMay 31, 1910; 115 years ago (1910-05-31)
JurisdictionGovernment of South Africa
HeadquartersHallmark Building, Corner of Johannes Ramokhoase & Thabo Sehume Street, Pretoria
25°44′38.22″S 28°11′21.97″E / 25.7439500°S 28.1894361°E / -25.7439500; 28.1894361
Employees9,375 (2009)
Annual budgetR11 billion (2025/2026)
Ministers responsible
Department executive
  • Livhuwani Tommy Makhode, Director-General: Home Affairs
Websitedha.gov.za

The Department of Home Affairs is a department of the South African government. It is the custodian of the identity of all South African citizens.[1]

Home Affairs is responsible for, among other things, issuing certificates such as those recognizing births and marriages, issuing identity documents and passports, and issuing citizenship, naturalization, and permanent residency certificates.

Furthermore, the department seeks to ensure a responsive and efficient immigration regime, as well as the effective, secure, and humane management of asylum seekers and refugees.

The DHA also receives funds on behalf of the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC), and for the Represented Political Parties Fund. The IEC and Government Printing Works (GPW) report to the Department.

The Department is headed by the Minister of Home Affairs, a role held since 2024 by Democratic Alliance party member Leon Schreiber.

Duties

The department is responsible for:[citation needed]

Budget

The Department was allocated a 2025/26 budget of R11 billion.[2]

Criticisms

A report by the country's Public Service Commission found that the Department of Home Affairs accounted for 22 of the 260 financial misconduct cases for national departments in 2008/9.[3]

In May 2010 it was reported that the Department of Home Affairs had not paid its bill to the Government Printing Works, leading to a delay in the issuance of new passports, and that the department faced lawsuits from "people erroneously declared dead, people whom they failed to issue with identity documents and others arrested after their IDs were used in a fraudulent manner".[4] In the same year, the department was being sued for R 5 billion for various breaches of terms and contracts.[5]

There have been reports of corruption within Home Affairs. In February 2010 the department closed one of its Johannesburg offices due to corruption,[6] and in the same year, a number of officials and staff members appeared in court for alleged corruption and bribery.[7][8][9]

In January 2011 the department was criticised for its inefficiency, particularly in regard to processing documents. Eye Witness News reported that it would take two years to process visa requests from Zimbabwe citizens applying for work and study permits.[10] The Sowetan reported in January 2011 that a South African citizen has unsuccessfully tried to attain an identity document for four years.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Home Affairs". The Government of South Africa. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  2. ↑ "Minister Leon Schreiber: Home Affairs Dept Budget Vote 2025/26". The Government of South Africa. 8 July 2025. Retrieved 23 October 2025.
  3. ↑ "Overview on Financial Misconduct for the 2008/2009 Financial Year", Public Service Commission, http://www.psc.gov.za/documents/2010/PSC%20Overview%20on%20financiaL.pdf
  4. ↑ "DA statement on Home affairs's R126million debt to GPW", From the Old, http://fromtheold.com/news/da-statement-home-affairss-r126million-debt-gpw-2010031016905.html Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, 10 March 2010
  5. ↑ "Home affairs being sued for R6.8bn". News 24. 30 September 2010.
  6. ↑ "Home Affairs closes Jhb office due to corruption". Jacaranda 94.2. Johannesburg. 12 February 2010.
  7. ↑ Mukhuthu, Evans (12 August 2010). "IT boss and home affairs official nabbed for corruption". Times Live.
  8. ↑ "Three home affairs officials in court for corruption". The Citizen Online. 25 December 2010.
  9. ↑ Essop, Rahima (16 July 2009). "More arrests expected for corruption in Home Affairs". Eye Witness News. Archived from the original on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  10. ↑ Rice, Catherine (3 January 2011). "Zim applications will take 2 years to process". Eye Witness News. Archived from the original on 8 October 2011. Retrieved 28 January 2011.
  11. ↑ Sakuneka, Michael (5 January 2011). "Getting an ID book a struggle". The Sowetan. Johannesburg.