Home Affairs Director-General, Mkuseli Apleni, today Thursday 10 May 2012 expressed his shock at reports of delays in issuing Identity Documents (IDs) to two women from Mpumalanga Maria Nyathi and Cape Town Jacqui Louw respectively, forcing them to approach the Pretoria High Court for relief.
In this regard, Director-General said, "We have taken note of the Pretoria High Court judgment compelling the department to issue IDs to Maria Nyathi and Jacqui Louw within a period of 30 days. At the outset, may I express on behalf of the department, my sympathies with those citizens like Maria Nyathi and Jacqui Louw, whose lives has been negatively impacted upon due to some alleged administrative inefficiencies."
"Our task as enjoined by the Constitution and directed by our Minister, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma is to ensure we deliver quality services without fear or favour in a manner that deepens efforts aimed at creating a better life for all our people."
"In this regard, we share in the pain of those like Maria Nyathi and Jacqui Louw, whose lives has been brought to a standstill due to some alleged bureaucratic inefficiencies. They are entitled to a better quality service from all our officials who must serve our people with care, dedication and without prejudice.
"The matter must certainly receive the necessary internal scrutiny to determine what would have led to the situation in which Maria Nyathi and Jacqui Louw today find themselves in. Where necessary disciplinary proceedings will have to be instituted. Certainly it shouldn't be that citizens must be forced to approach courts of law to find relief for what otherwise should be provided for by officials of state."
"At this stage, while we are studying the purport of the judgement, we accept the outcome thereof and will seek to redress the imbalance created by the alleged administrative inefficiencies."
