Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber officially opened a new modern Home Affairs office at the Cape Town Civic Centre on Monday as part of efforts to bring government services closer to residents and reduce long queues.
Schreiber said the new facility forms part of the department’s Home Affairs @ home reform programme, which aims to decentralise services and make them more accessible at locations people already visit.
“For too long, visiting Home Affairs has been associated with travelling long distances, standing in queues and losing hours of your day,” Schreiber said. “Through our ambitious reform agenda, we are rapidly changing that experience, including here in Cape Town.”
The new office is located alongside existing City services and near public transport, providing residents with a more convenient and accessible option for Home Affairs services.
The facility will operate on a bookings-only basis, allowing clients to schedule appointments in advance and avoid unnecessary waiting times.
Appointments can be booked through the department’s upgraded online booking system.
Schreiber said the new office would also help reduce pressure on busy Home Affairs branches, including the Barrack Street office.
He pointed to the department’s digital partnership with the banking sector, which has already expanded access to Smart ID replacement services at more than 450 bank branches across the country, including several in Cape Town.
“The new office we are launching today at the Civic Centre builds on that progress by taking additional pressure off busy offices such as the one in Barrack Street,” Schreiber said.
“This is Home Affairs @ home: using digital transformation and partnerships to eliminate queues, decentralise access and deliver dignity for all.”
Schreiber said the new facility forms part of the department’s Home Affairs @ home reform programme, which aims to decentralise services and make them more accessible at locations people already visit.
“For too long, visiting Home Affairs has been associated with travelling long distances, standing in queues and losing hours of your day,” Schreiber said. “Through our ambitious reform agenda, we are rapidly changing that experience, including here in Cape Town.”
The new office is located alongside existing City services and near public transport, providing residents with a more convenient and accessible option for Home Affairs services.
The facility will operate on a bookings-only basis, allowing clients to schedule appointments in advance and avoid unnecessary waiting times.
Appointments can be booked through the department’s upgraded online booking system.
Schreiber said the new office would also help reduce pressure on busy Home Affairs branches, including the Barrack Street office.
He pointed to the department’s digital partnership with the banking sector, which has already expanded access to Smart ID replacement services at more than 450 bank branches across the country, including several in Cape Town.
“The new office we are launching today at the Civic Centre builds on that progress by taking additional pressure off busy offices such as the one in Barrack Street,” Schreiber said.
“This is Home Affairs @ home: using digital transformation and partnerships to eliminate queues, decentralise access and deliver dignity for all.”