Problems? Phone the DG on his Cellphone

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The Director General of Home Affairs invites members of the public who are having problems that are not being adequately addressed to phone him on his cellphone, the number is on the home affairs website.  He said this in a briefing to parliament on 15 March 2011 in response to a question by the DA Shadow Minister for Home Affairs, Annette Lovemore.

*************Phoning the DG is a last resort.  Before you phone the DG...

Ensure that you keep records of when you phoned/e-mailed and who you spoke to.

1 – file a complaint with the customer service centre (CSC) 0800 20 44 76 or e-mail csc@dha.gov.za  Ensure that you get a reference number

2 – If you don’t get satisfactory feedback within 3 days, contact the CSC manager hennie.meyer@dha.gov.za

3 – If you don’t get satisfactory feedback within 3 days, ask for a contact person at the operational response unit.  Contact them.

4 – If you don’t get satisfactory feedback (within 5 days, I think that is their turnaround time) ask which is the relevant chief director for your case and get their contact details.  


Contact the chief director.  The chief directors for immigration (asylum, permits etc) are:

• Deputy Director General: Immigration Services - J McKay
• Chief Director Foreign Office Co-ordination and Support - N Mnyaka
• Chief Director Port Control – J. Mamabolo
• Chief Director Permits – M. Radebe
• Chief Director Inspectorate – M. Matthews
• Chief Director: Asylum Seekers Management – L. Kgasi

The chief directors for civic services (IDs, passports, birth certificates etc) are

• Deputy Director General: Civic Services - V Mkhize
• Chief Director: Civic channel management - M. Moloi
• Chief Director: Back office ID processing - T Sigama - (Acting)
• Chief Director: Back office status services - N. Ramashia
• Chief Director: Civic services support – Vacant

The chief directors for counter corruption and security are

• Deputy Director-General: Counter Corruption and Security-C Khwela - (Acting)
• Chief Director : Investigation -C Khwela
• Chief Director: Security Services - S Hancock

(All the names of key officials are on the home affairs website.  The home affairs organogram/structure is also on this blog)

5 - If you don’t get satisfactory feedback within 3 days contact the relevant deputy director general for your case.

6 - If you don’t get satisfactory feedback within 3 days, e-mail the Director General Mr Mkuseli Apleni a summary of your problem  (Mkuseli.apleni@dha.gov.za)

·         What document you applied for

·         When you applied

·         The office you submitted your application

·         Your reference numbers for the application and the CSC complaint reference number

·         Which chief director and deputy director general you contacted before you contacted the DG.

·         What outcome you need and when.

7-If you don’t get satisfactory feedback within 5 days phone the DG on his cell 0824497535 .  

*********Ensure that you can summarise your case and desired outcome in 2 minutes because the DG is a very busy and senior official.************

In my experience, he does answer his cellphone himself, if you phone him between 7.15 and 8am.  After that he’s in meetings.

******Please remember that to phone the DG you must have exhausted all other possibilities for resolving your matter.****************

8-If phoning the DG doesn’t work, fax the minister 0128107307 or 0124326637 (confirm these numbers with the CSC before sending the fax).  Or contact the minister's PA to confirm the fax number.

9-If contacting the minister doesn't work, then file a complaint with the public protector.  

In my experience, phoning the DG does indeed work when all else fails. 

Also from my experience, senior Home Affairs officials seem very willing to deal directly with members of the public.  Contacting them yourself shows how much the matter means to you.

Summary 

1.Customer Service Centre (CSC)>>>2.CSC Manager>>>3.Operational Response Unit>>>4.Chief Director>>>5.Deputy Director General (DDG)>>>6.Director General(DG)>>>7.Director General's cellphone>>>8.Minister>>>9.Public Protector

Disclaimer: this is not an official home affairs complaints procedure.  This is the procedure that I followed that was the most effective.  For an explanation of the official complaints procedure, contact the Home Affairs customer service centre.

****Check whether there is a different official in a certain position****