The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has set up call centres specifically to assist with the issuing of documents during the public sector strike.
The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) says the call centres are a part of the contingency plan put in place to ensure that services are not disrupted.
"The contingency measures introduced by minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma will assist official funeral undertakers/parlours to acquire the much-needed death certificates upon written request and the provision of their designation numbers," says DHA director-general Mkhuseli Apleni.
Dialling digits
Citizens who need help with emergency work permits or the extension of their visitors' permits can call 012 810 6292 for assistance, or e-mail hubenquiries@dha.gov.za. Those who require assistance with emergency travel documents can call 0800 601 190, according to the GCIS.
It adds that the call centre numbers for funeral parlours to call for help with death certificates are 011 461 9292, 0800 601 190 and 0800 204 476.
Cellphone lines have also been set up for those who have queries with regards to death certificates. These lines will be monitored 24-hours-a-day, and if the request is urgent, an SMS can be sent to the department, according to Apleni. He says the cellphone numbers are 072 616 8819, 079 511 8810, 082 806 4945 or 082 808 2782.
Additional measures
“Other measures aimed at cushioning the impact of the strike include the posting of key contact numbers for all Home Affairs offices in case of emergencies, the redirection of clients to offices that have remained open and the redeployment of staff to offices that are open,” says the GCIS.
Apleni says the impact of the strike on the department's services has been minimal, with figures showing that only 19% of DHA officials had downed tools.
"While the number of employees on strike in the department represents a minority of our total staff complement, a disturbing trend is emerging with a number of employees being intimidated to vacate our offices and to stay away from work. Also of concern is the extension of this intimidation to our clients.”
The GCIS adds that the Home Affairs offices in Gauteng, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and the Free State have been most affected by the strike.
"A total of 766 staff members in Gauteng, 231 in the Western Cape, 120 in the Free State, and 111 in KwaZulu-Natal are currently on strike," explains Apleni.
Forty-six Home Affairs offices in the Eastern Cape, 21 in Mpumalanga, three in the Western Cape, three in Limpopo and one in the Free State were forced to close because of incidents of intimidation, according to the GCIS.
However, Apleni says the closures were only temporary and once police were called in and the protestors removed, the offices re-opened.
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