28 April 2006
The Department of Home Affairs has noted with concern a welter of media
reports that alleged that there is an embargo around the issuing of new
passports. Further, the media reports allege that the Department has run out of
blank passports on which passports are printed and therefore cannot issue
passports to their rightful owners.
We would like to place it on record that the Department has never at any
stage placed any embargo in the issuing of passports and has not run out of
paper in anyway. Therefore, the claim that there is a crisis in the issuing of
passports cannot be sustained. Accordingly, we have been and continue to print
passports as expected in order to afford South Africans an opportunity to
travel to other countries.
In addition, the Department will on Tuesday, 2 May 2006, receive a
consignment of 300 000 end paper for the printing of passports. Related to the
above, another consignment of 600 000 will be delivered to the Department in
June 2006 to assist in the production and ultimate distribution of
passports.
It is our firm belief that this consignment will further assist us to
produce passports and provide them to their rightful owners.
Media enquiries can be directed to:
Nkosana Sibuyi
Head of Communication
Cell: 082 88 66 708
Tel: (012) 810 7338
E-mail: Nkosana.Sibuyi@dha.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Home Affairs
28 April 2006
