Parliament’s portfolio committee on home affairs has expressed “deep concern and exasperation” after a viral video surfaced showing an elderly woman allegedly being assaulted by security personnel at the home affairs office in Tyger Valley Centre, Cape Town.
In the footage, the woman is shown being forcibly pushed out of the office despite claiming she had secured an appointment through the department’s branch appointment booking system.
During the altercation, she is allegedly kicked in an apparent attempt to force her out of the premises.
Portfolio committee chair Mosa Chabane said the incident was unacceptable and undermined the Batho Pele principles that should guide public servants in their interactions with the public.
“The video is deeply disturbing as it demonstrates a lack of respect for ordinary South Africans who are merely seeking services from the department of home affairs,” Chabane said.
The committee has directed the department to submit a detailed report to it without delay.
The department, meanwhile, said its records indicated the woman did not have a valid appointment on its booking system and appeared to have been misled into buying an appointment slot from a third party.
It warned that the selling of booking slots was illegal and exploitative, and confirmed its Counter-Corruption Unit was investigating those responsible.
The department stressed that all home affairs booking appointments were free and issued on a first-come, first-served basis.
It said the private security guard involved in the incident had been removed and the department was reviewing the circumstances to prevent similar incidents.
The portfolio committee said it had repeatedly raised concerns about the treatment of clients at home affairs offices, as well as the persistent problem of long queues.
It said it had previously been assured that the electronic booking system had been introduced to manage client flow and ensure only booked clients were attended to at home affairs offices.
However, Chabane said preliminary investigations by the committee pointed to challenges with the system, including alleged abuse by individuals advertising services to help clients circumvent the booking process.
“Notwithstanding these challenges, if they indeed exist, the treatment of clients must always remain humane and considerate,” he said.
The committee also raised concern about the role of security officials at some home affairs branches, saying they were often tasked with controlling queues, providing advice on departmental services and interacting directly with clients, duties the committee believed should be handled by trained home affairs officials.
It said security personnel should focus on maintaining a safe and orderly environment, adding it was unacceptable that at some offices, queues were arbitrarily cut off even when clients had confirmed bookings.
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