Day: December 13, 2021

Government Communication and Information Systems in partnership with Departments of Sport, Arts and Culture; Justice and Constitutional Development and The Institute of Race Relations will host a webinar on Social Cohesion, Anti-Xenophobia, Tribalism and Racism.

The details of the webinar are as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 14 December 2021

Time: 10h00

Venue: Zoom (Webinar ID 944 7466 3458 and Passcode 160985)

The webinar aims:

• To communicate the importance of social cohesion and nation building in diverse communities.

• To highlight the root cause of social intolerance and possible solutions.

• To communicate the progress made on the implementation of National Action Plan to Combat Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance.

Enquiries: William Baloyi on 083 390 7147

Source: Government of South Africa

Home Affairs Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has approved a temporary extension of operating times at front offices by two and a half hours from 08:00 to 17:30 from today, Monday, 13 December to Thursday 30 December 2021 to deal with the high demand for services at Home Affairs offices. This extension period excludes weekends, public holidays, 17 and 24 December 2021 as the offices will be closed.

The Minister has also extended operating hours at some of the busiest Ports of Entry (POE) by between two and seven hours, making some of them to operate for 24 hours. This is to enable a continuous processing of truck drivers. Other travellers will be processed during the hours that fall outside the curfew.

“Our offices and Ports of Entry usually receive high numbers of people during the festive season, partly because that is when most people have time to look for services or to travel. The temporary extension is therefore aimed at giving people more time to come to our offices or be processed through our borders in a safe manner, taking into account that Covid-19 is still with us,” said Minister Motsoaledi.

He encouraged those who applied for their IDs more than two weeks ago to come and collect their documents at the offices where they made their applications.

In the past two months the Department issued 206 254 Unabridged Birth Certificates, processed 187 813 ID applications, registered 129 324 births and issued 116 049 death certificates. These are the services that were in high demand during the past two months. The Department will offer all Home Affairs services during this extension period.

The only people who will be sent home are those who arrive after 17:30. Everybody who arrives before 17:30 should be served and not turned away.

The Minister extended operating hours at the Oshoek border with Eswatini by seven hours from 20 to 24 December and at the Lebombo border with Mozambique by six hours from 13 December 2021 to 09 January 2022. The extension means that both ports will operate for 24 hours during the approved periods.

Beit Bridge and Maseru Bridge are already operating for 24 hours.

Everyone who comes to our offices or is travelling through our ports is requested to be patient and also observe all Covid-19 protocols.

Media enquiries:

Siya Qoza – 082 898 1657 (spokesperson for the Minister of Home Affairs)

David Hlabane – 071 342 4284 (media manager for the Department of Home Affairs)

Source: Government of South Africa

MEC Sambatha host media briefing on the provincial response to Covid-19,the 4th wave and vaccination update.

Confirmation of attendance must be forwarded to Kebalepile Khula (Media Liaison) on kebalepilekhula@nwpg.gov.za(link sends e-mail) or 0820431504 The MEC for Health in North West, Madoda Sambatha will on Monday, 13 December host a media briefing to update members of the community on the COVID-19 pandemic, the variant, how the Province is dealing with the 4th wave as well as progress on the vaccination rollout programme.

“The North West Province has not been spared from the increasing numbers of the Covid-19 cases driven by the Omicron variant, therefore it is essential for us to keep the community of North West Province in the loop on what government is planning to combat this pandemic” said Madoda Sambatha

Source: Government of South Africa