The Public Servants Association (PSA) has outlined several instances where Home Affairs staff members were assaulted whilst on duty. The union simultaneously alleges that the department apparently cut down significantly on hiring security personnel.
As stated by the PSA, early this month, their members working at the Department of Home Affairs in Witbank informed the union about an incident where irate clients assaulted staff members after storming into the office. This attack was triggered by lengthy lines and sluggish service provision.
"The clients came through the rear entrance reserved exclusively for official purposes. Staff members at the Witbank office had to evacuate urgently for the sake of their personal safety," the union was notified.
The report submitted to the PSA mentioned that the Witbank office presently employs only one security guard, clearly an insufficient number for such a sizable premises.
Employees have expressed concerns that Home Affairs clients often exhibit aggression or violence toward staff members. Consequently, they believe decreasing the number of security personnel would introduce significant safety hazards.
It was advised for the department to reassess reducing the number of security guards and instead focus on enhancing their staff members' well-being.
The lead negotiator for PSA, Peter Mngomezulu, similarly detailed several occurrences at Byron Place in Tshwane during November, in Middleburg, Mpumalanga, as well as in Mogale City within Gauteng; these events all took place in January.
"In addition, both the Alberton and Germiston branches in Gauteng frequently encounter situations where customers lock themselves inside and insist on staying until they receive assistance. In such cases, the police have to be summoned to handle the situation," he mentioned.
An additional staff member shared their encounters from the Mabopane, Tshwane branch, noting that employees fault customers who fail to register within the department’s framework since these individuals believe they should be allowed to pick up their ID documents without prior scheduling. Consequently, these clients become disgruntled upon seeing others receive preferential treatment due to having made appointments.
"The security guard for the shift is a young woman in her early twenties who gets repeatedly berated by clients. She has been assigned to work solo without proper training. We frequently encounter groups of irate clients within, particularly during system malfunctions which occur most commonly when schools are out or at month-end—times that mark our busiest periods," the official lamented.
Furthermore, the PSA was notified that the Department of Home Affairs planned to reduce security services across all offices, effective starting April 1st.
The union stated that the department attributed its inability to compensate the privately hired security firms primarily to budget limitations and strict fiscal policies. However, they also mentioned intentions to seek additional funding from the National Treasury.
The PSA criticized the move to decrease security staffing across all offices, cautioning that this could leave workers vulnerable to potential assaults and unlawful acts like vandalism and robbery.
"The safety of employees is at risk because staff members were once taken hostage at Byron Place in Pretoria and the Krugersdorp office," warned the union, emphasizing that the well-being of workers must not be jeopardized.
The entity further encouraged the department to implement backup plans aimed at safeguarding both staff members and facilities, following the closure of four branches earlier this month in Mpumalanga due to inadequate security measures.
"The department needs to expedite the process of liaising with Treasury to secure funding for hiring permanent security personnel. Although the Department of Home Affairs falls within the security cluster, it has not been providing sufficient protection for its staff," the union insisted.
The PSA has warned they may activate the dispute resolution process, potentially resulting in protests at every Department of Home Affairs office since staff members can’t keep working in these hazardous conditions.
A security guard at the department’s office in Randburg, Johannesburg was dismissed last month for brandishing pepper spray at clients who refused to depart due to announced system delays. The incident was captured on video footage.
The Department of Home Affairs has not yet addressed inquiries regarding the reduction in security measures and the worries expressed by its staff members.
loyiso.sidimba@inl.co.za