‘The days of ‘system offline’ need to come to an end, because I want to be the Minister of ‘System Online’,’ says Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
Leon Schreiber laid out his priorities as Minister of Home Affairs during his maiden budget vote speech in Parliament on Monday, saying his department would prioritise, among other things, dealing with the visa backlog and stabilising the department’s online system.
The Department of Home Affairs has a budget of R10.49-billion for the 2024/25 financial year – a slight increase from R9.75-billion in the previous financial year.
Schreiber’s speech covered five key issues.
Visa backlog
Schreiber said the department had assigned a “dedicated team” to deal with the permit backlog.
“I am pleased to report that we are starting to see progress. Our dedicated team has already reduced the backlog by processing 92,886 applications out of a total of 306,042. This is a reduction of 30%,” he said.
A day after Schreiber was sworn into office, he extended a temporary concession for foreigners with pending visa applications, including those who were appealing against rejections, to 31 December 2024, Daily Maverick’s Georgina Crouth reported. The concession was needed to protect applicants and deal with ongoing delays in visa processing.
In April this year, the department revealed in response to a parliamentary question that the visa backlog had increased by 18,000 – from 74,000 in August 2023 to 92,000 in February 2024.
Schreiber said that “clearing this backlog is the only way to avoid another extension of the concession on visas, waivers and appeals that has already been granted three times”.
“This is an abnormal situation, and we must get this problem under control so that extensions are no longer necessary. For this reason, I have asked to be provided with daily reports on the state of the backlog until it is eradicated,” he said.
The ANC supported the department’s budget. ANC MP Mosa Chabane said, in addition to clearing the backlog on processing visa applications, “capacity should be increased within the permits and refugee section”.
Immigration Advisory Board
In the House on Thursday, Schreiber announced that he was, in terms of Section 4(2) of the Immigration Act of 2002, reactivating the Immigration Advisory Board as a matter of urgency.
South Africa has not had an Immigration Advisory Board in more than a decade, which is in breach of the Immigration Act, Daily Maverick reported. Schreiber said the department is “inundated with costly court cases”, often due to an inability to process applications timeously.
“This board provides a powerful platform for key stakeholders to engage with the department on an ongoing basis about problems affecting the sector,” said Schreiber.
“Importantly, the advisory board can provide the minister with evidence-based advice on tackling critical matters, such as the court-ordered process of consultation on the future of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit.”
“The Advisory Board will serve as a vital forum where problems can be ironed out before they escalate to the courts,” said Schreiber.
ActionSA MP Lerato Ngobeni said the party will be watching the work of the board closely, “because South Africans have simply had enough”.
“ActionSA will not support any budget that fails to unapologetically put South Africans first,” she said.
Border management
“Even as we work to implement the GNU [government of national unity] mandate for a better visa system to welcome people who want to contribute to South Africa legally through their skills, investments and as tourists, we must acknowledge that there is another side to this coin,” said Schreiber.
“South Africa needs to do much more to combat illegal immigration.”
To tackle illegal immigration, Schreiber said the department would increase the number of inspections at restaurants, spaza shops, farms and mines by more than 50%, to “take action against people illegally employed, including deportations.”
These inspections will be done in collaboration with other departments, including Employment and Labour and the SA Police Service, according to Schreiber.
Schreiber’s predecessor, Aaron Motsoaledi, was frequently questioned throughout his term about his hardline views on foreigners, and with Schreiber’s promised crackdown on illegal immigration, it seems he has set a similar tone for the department.
In response to Schreiber’s speech, uMkhonto Wesizwe (MK) party MP Mariam Muhammad said “serious defects in our immigration system” had to be addressed, adding that it was “time for a comprehensive overhaul of the migration system guided by a clear policy framework that balances compassion with security”.
Online systems and reducing queues
People wait in long queues at the Soweto Regional Home Affairs Office. (Photo: Gallo Images / Fani Mahuntsi)
Another priority of the department, Schreiber said, was to stabilise its online system.
Home Affairs offices lost more than 36,000 hours of work in the first half of 2023, primarily due to system downtime, News24 reported. The department has in the past been hamstrung by offline systems, causing long queues outside offices.
“It is unacceptable that, in the year 2024 and the age of artificial intelligence, we still do not have a reliable IT system at Home Affairs. The days of ‘system offline’ need to come to an end, because I want to be the minister of ‘system online’,” he said.
He said the problem of long queues had to be similarly tackled.
“While technological upgrades will also assist in this regard, I intend to review the way in which queues are managed at Home Affairs offices to identify appropriate business process reforms that optimise the online booking system and better manage queues on the ground,” said Schreiber.
DA MP Nicole Bollman welcomed the minister’s pledge to end system failures, saying the steps outlined by Schreiber were “promising, but swift implementation is essential”.
“Over the past five years, Home Affairs has lost 77 years’ worth of office hours due to systems being offline. This extensive loss of hours highlights the critical need for reliable IT systems. We also welcome the minister’s indication that online booking systems will be extended to other civic services beyond IDs and passports,” said Bollman.
Electoral Commission
The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) falls within the department’s budget vote.
The IEC, according to Schreiber, has a budget of R2.3-billion for the 2024/25 financial year.
The 29 May polls were beset by operational and technical challenges which caused long queues at voting stations. Some MPs in the House on Monday called for a probe into what went wrong to rectify the issues before the 2026 municipal elections.
“Honourable members, we cannot shy away from the fact that the IEC struggled during the 2024 election; however, the attacks on its credibility have been unwarranted. We need to, as a portfolio committee, probe where it went wrong and what interventions are needed,” said IFP MP, Liezl van der Merwe.  
Schreiber said the IEC was set to undertake a review of the election.
“This process will include key stakeholders, including political parties represented in this House. South Africans expect the review process to be thorough so that operational and technical challenges are addressed ahead of the 2026 local government elections,” he said

South Africa’s new minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, says that the department is making headway in reducing its massive visa backlog, which has been cut to around 213,000 applications.
Schreiber, who took over as minister as part of the Government of National Unity in June, said that the department has set up a dedicated team to reduce the backlog and has cut through 92,886 applications out of a total of 306,042.
“This is a reduction of 30%. But we must do more because clearing this backlog is the only way to avoid another extension of the concession on visas, waivers and appeals that have already been granted three times,” he said.
One of Schreiber’s first acts as minister of Home Affairs was to extend the temporary concession for foreign nationals awaiting the outcomes of their visa, waiver, and appeal applications.
Long-term visa holders in South Africa have thus been given legal permission to remain in South Africa until 31 December 2024.
The reported number of visas in the backlog is significantly higher than the figures presented by former minister Aaron Motsoaledi earlier this year.
In May, Motsoaledi said that the backlog was at 92,000 visas at the end of January 2024. This means that over 200,000 applications were added to the pile in the months that followed.
The former minister placed the blame on very specific visa categories, such as spousal and family visas, which required the department to engage in a lengthy verification process to ensure that the applications were legitimate.
“Applicants for relative and/or spousal permits wait as long as two years for their visa due to the requirement that their notarial agreements and other documents such as birth certificates, bank statements and marriage certificates submitted as proof of existence of a spousal or parental relationship are verified,” he said at the time.
Schreiber described the backlog as “abnormal”, saying that it needs to be brought under control as soon as possible. The previous administration set a target of clearing it by November 2024.
“This is an abnormal situation, and we must get this problem under control so that extensions are no longer necessary. For this reason, I have asked to be provided with daily reports on the state of the backlog until it is eradicated.”
Presenting the DHA’s Budget Vote in Parliament on Monday, Schreiber said Home Affairs was vital to ensuring that South Africa remains competitive and can generate rapid, inclusive and sustainable economic growth to create jobs.
He committed to executing the reforms established in president Cyril Ramaphosa’s Operation Vulindlela - where the focus for Home Affairs is increasing the availability of scarce skills in the labour market.
Projects already in place under this banner include the critical skills list changes seen over the past few years, as well as the new Trusted Employer Scheme (TES) and remote work visa changes.
The TES will allow major investors and large employers to follow a streamlined process in getting skills into the country with improved turnaround times, while the new remote visa will make it easier for foreign workers to set up and work temporarily from South Africa without falling ill of local tax laws.
However, Schreiber said that for South Africa to be effective in unlocking scarce skills and growing tourism to create jobs, Home Affairs must urgently clear the backlog in the processing of permits.

Schreiber said he would reach out to the departments, including the South African Police Service (Saps), for joint operations.
Leon Schreiber, minister of Home Affairs, during the swearing-in ceremony of the new national executive members at Cape Town International Convention Centre on 3 July, 2024 in Cape Town.
Home Affairs Leon Schreiber says in the coming year, the department will intensify inspections at restaurants, spaza shops, farms and mines by over 50% to take action, including deportations, against people who are illegally employed.
The initiative was started under his predecessor, Aaron Motsoaledi, who earlier this year called for harsher sanctions against business owners who knowingly employ undocumented foreigners.
Motsoaledi was speaking at a stakeholder engagement and service delivery monitoring session in Gqeberha in February.
“Anyone who knowingly employs an illegal foreigner or a foreigner in violation of this act shall be guilty of an offence and liable, upon conviction, to a fine or imprisonment not exceeding one year. Additionally, a second conviction of such an offence shall be punishable by imprisonment not exceeding two years or a fine,” said Motsoaledi.
“A third subsequent conviction of such an offence shall result in imprisonment not exceeding five years without the option of a fine.”
At the time, Motsoaledi also confirmed that the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) and the Department of Small Business Development were collaborating to tighten laws to prevent undocumented foreigners from operating businesses in the country.
During the department’s budget speech on Monday, Schreiber said he would reach out to the departments for joint operations.
Home Affairs on immigration
Schreiber further said the department was working on the provision of smart ID cards to naturalised citizens.
He said 280 cards have been issued and another 697 were in progress.
“Once the system has been adjusted to verify compliant applications, all naturalized citizens will be able to visit any Home Affairs office equipped with live-capture facilities to apply for their smart ID cards,” he said.
Schreiber also announced that Home Affairs would urgently reactivate the Immigration Advisory Board. It will provide him with “evidence-based advice” on tackling matters, such as the process of consultation on the future of the Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP).
Last month, the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) ruled that Motsoaledi unlawfully terminated the ZEPs.
The court found that Motsoaledi had failed to consult with ZEP holders.
BMA deportations
Also last month, the Border Management Authority (BMA) deployed an additional 400 junior border guards, after an eight-month training programme.
The majority of the guards are deployed at Beitbridge to Zimbabwe, Lebombo and Kosi Bay to Mozambique and Maseru and Ficksburg to Lesotho.
Their tasks include addressing the scourge of illegal entry, the smuggling of illicit cigarettes, stolen high-value vehicles and stock theft.
To date, the BMA’s guards have intercepted and deported over 296,000 individuals who had attempted to enter the country illegally.
Over 303 vehicles were intercepted when criminals attempted to illegally take them out of South Africa.
“South Africa needs to do much more to combat illegal immigration. We must do so both because it is central to our national security. But also out of our commitment to economic growth,” said Schreiber.
“The reality is that no one will want to visit or invest if we allow our country to lose control over its borders and internal security. This problem needs to be tackled in a sustained, integrated and collaborative way,” he said.

South Africa’s ride-hailing market has grown considerably over the past several years, becoming a massive R7 billion industry with no signs of slowing down.

Vincent Lilane, Business Development Representative at inDrive, highlights that approximately 21% of South Africans now rely on e-hailing services, marking a substantial shift in urban transportation dynamics.

Despite this growth, the sector faces several critical challenges that could impede further development if left unaddressed.

Issues such as equitable pricing structures for drivers and passengers, concerns over passenger and driver safety, and the need for greater empowerment of drivers are among the key hurdles identified.

“Remember, drivers are the lifeblood of this industry, and their well-being directly impacts its success,” with many earning well below minimum wage,” said Lilane.

South Africa’s ride-hailing market, with an estimated R6.01 billion in revenue in 2023, is highly competitive. Strong local players such as Uber, Bolt, and inDrive to name a few are battling it out and itching for market dominance.

The industry itself is gearing up for further growth. By 2029, it is projected to reach R8.11 billion in annual revenue and serve a user base of around 14.5 million people, according to Statista.

Lilane said that this is “fueled by influences such as evolving customer preferences, unique local conditions, and underlying macroeconomic factors.”

“However, to unlock its full potential, the industry must address present challenges while simultaneously capitalising on growth opportunities,” he added.

Lilane said that doing so is likely to greatly maximise the ride-sharing industry’s job creation and GDP contributions, benefiting both the economy and people.

“By empowering drivers, prioritising safety, and embracing new possibilities, the e-hailing industry could serve as the driving force in shaping a transportation ecosystem that benefits all South Africans �` passengers, drivers, and businesses alike,” he said.

Pricing woes

Shedding light on a critical challenge for the ride-sharing industry, Lilane said that achieving fair pricing for both drivers and passengers is essential.

“The sad reality is that South African drivers tend to earn less than minimum wage (of R27.58 per hour),” said Lilane.

This is because their earnings are eroded by:

Rising fuel prices;
Vehicle rental fees;
The elimination of incentives and bonuses; and
Increased commissions for each transaction.

“Longer hours are often the only way to compensate, impacting driver well-being and potentially compromising safety,” said the inDriver representative.

While it is hoped that the recently enacted Economic Regulation of Transport Act (which looks to consolidate the economic regulation of transport within a single framework and policy) will positively impact their earnings, “drivers must be given more control over pricing,” said Lilane.

He said that this, in turn, will empower them “to achieve sustainable incomes and economic stability.”

Lilane argues that driver control over pricing could also benefit passengers. “This would allow them to access more competitive fares, a critical factor during the current cost-of-living crisis where affordable transportation is a major concern,” he said.

Lilane also urges the ride-hailing industry to reintroduce and expand incentive programmes and bonuses as a way to reward drivers, especially with 85% reporting that these are essential for their earnings, that are already often well below minimum wage.

Safety issues

“The rapid growth of ride-hailing in South Africa has coincided with a concerning rise in threats to the safety of both drivers and riders across all operators in this space, tarnishing the reputation of the entire industry as a result,” said Lilane.

This has been taking effect in the headlines, with numerous reports of passengers being attacked, robbed and more by some drivers, while many drivers themselves have faced the same ill fate.

“Unfortunately, this isn’t unique to South Africa, as similar incidents are reported globally,” said Lilane.

There are various safety challenges in the industry, including that of insufficient driver background checks, lax enforcement of vehicle maintenance, and passenger harassment of drivers among others.

Lilane emphasises that there needs to be shared responsibility approach, such as offering in-app support for both parties to address any violations promptly.

New frontiers for e-hailing

Liliane noted that e-hailing can extend beyond passenger services in South Africa to significantly impact the freight and cargo sector, especially in underserved remote areas.

He said that by leveraging technology and networks, these platforms could offer dependable cargo transport, opening new revenue opportunities for drivers and enhancing the country’s logistics infrastructure.

One day after he was sworn in as the new Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber made a range of announcements regarding extending temporary visa concessions and other arrangements affecting legal foreign nationals in South Africa.
It drew attention to him as one of the six new ministers of the DA in the Government of National Unity (GNU). Eleven new ministers were appointed from the DA, PAC, IFP, Patriotic Alliance (PA) and Freedom Front Plus and two from the ANC in the GNU.
Most of them have parliamentary but not ministerial experience. It, therefore, becomes a question of how long it will take for them to master the intricacies of parliamentary procedures and their executive responsibilities.
Schreiber was highlighted as one who started quickly, but what awaits him down the line?
He is qualified in political science and, in 2018, published a book on coalitions in South Africa. Until this year’s election, he was the DA spokesperson of public services and administration and, in that capacity, launched several court cases against the ANC to reveal information on its cadre deployment policy.
Now as the Home Affairs minister, his academic knowledge must assist him in a post that has become a hot issue globally: the growing antagonism against refugees, illegal immigrants and foreigners in general.
The right-wing populism in Europe against refugees from the Middle East and North Africa has changed the politics in countries like Hungary, Türkiye, France, the Netherlands and Spain. The American election later this year will also be influenced by this factor.
In the recent national election, the PA, Operation Dudula and others linked themselves to these immigration sentiments. Only the EFF distanced itself from it. The election indicated to government leaders that a clearer policy on immigration and managing of illegal economic immigrants in South Africa are urgent priorities.
Schreiber will have to be the architect of that approach.
Home Affairs is a key ministry and department because it manages the demographic aspects of the population. For most other ministries, from a planning point of view, Home Affairs and Statistics SA are pivotal components of a system that must manage many civic services related to the population.
The first is to maintain the National Population Register which must be aligned to managing all birth, marriage and death records. The department must also determine and grant South African citizenship.
One institution for whom the Home Affairs functions have been important in recent times is the Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC). The department must keep the IEC regularly informed of all the deaths of registered voters and persons who have lost their citizenship. They will automatically be removed from the national voters roll.
Also part of the department’s civic services is its task to issue travel documents, passports and IDs to South African citizens and permanent residents. The challenges the department and Schreiber will have to contend with in this respect are unreliable government ICT infrastructure, long queues at Home Affairs offices and corruption in the process of issuing the documents.
Online applications and the use of bank branches have improved the situation. Investigations by the Special Investigative Unit and other components of the criminal justice cluster are slowly exposing syndicates and departmental officials, increasing Home Affairs’ integrity.
In addition to its civic services, the department’s second main function is managing immigration admissions into South Africa. It includes determining the residency status of foreigners. Extensions of the Zimbabwe Exemption Permit or the extension of temporary visa permits are two examples of a range of immigration hot potatoes.
In 2022, as part of Operation Vulindlela, the work visa review was conducted under the leadership of a former director-general, Dr Mavuso Msimang. It concentrated, in particular, on the category of visas for high-level skills. Most high-growth economies depend on an inflow of foreign high-level skills.
In the past, this visa category was politically contested and, therefore, South Africa requires a pro-active policy approach in this respect.
The former minister, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, recognised the policy need and therefore requested the 2022 review. Schreiber will have to take it further and identify the best practices used by countries like Australia, Germany, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, the US and other countries in exploiting skills.
Directly relevant for immigration and refugee management is the management of South Africa’s international borders.
In October 2023, the Border Management Agency (BMA) was launched to ensure that immigration laws and regulations were upheld. It will be the third armed force in South Africa after the military and police, responsible for border law enforcement, while the SANDF is responsible for border protection.
The BMA is an autonomous agency with its commissioners, but the Minister of Home Affairs serves as its executive authority.
Border management is not limited to the BMA. Schreiber will also be the chair of the inter-ministerial consultative committee on border management, which will include the other portfolios also involved in border management such as the SA Revenue Service, the Department of Agriculture, SANDF, SAPS and Transport.
The key to a better functioning Home Affairs will be good communication and understanding between the ministry and the department.
Key policy adjustments will be expected, while the department will have to incorporate the most advanced ICT infrastructure which can reduce the long queues at its offices and reduce the human factor in processing of documents, especially of illegal foreigners.