For most South Africans, their first interaction with government happens across the counter at a Department of Home Affairs (DHA) office. Birth certificates, ID documents, passports and visas are the gateway to citizenship and economic participation. Yet, this frontline department has long been synonymous with queues, inefficiency and frustration.

In the latest PSG Think Big webinar, hosted by award-winning journalist Alishia Seckam, Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, outlined his reform agenda to restore trust in DHA, accelerate digital transformation, and position the department as the foundation of a capable state.

“We have a number of key reforms that are underway, and in many cases have already yielded fruits,” he said, referring to a record 3.5 million smart IDs issued in the past year, the clearing a 10-year visa backlog of 306 000 applications, and welcoming over 27 000 Indian and Chinese tourists in just five months through the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme.

He added that the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for foreigners entering the country, which is set to roll out within the next few weeks, will ultimately automate South Africa’s visa processes. “I’m very excited that the combination of all of these different reforms, led by the ETA, is going to really position South Africa much better as an international travel destination.”

In terms of anti-corruption efforts, Schreiber said 38 officials have already been dismissed, and over 51 000 deportations were carried out in the past year – more than South Africa has seen for at least half a decade. The department has also launched an anti-corruption forum with the Special Investigating Unit, National Prosecuting Authority and SAPS to clamp down on internal misconduct.

A major focus of this reform agenda is digitalisation.

“Automation and digital transformation is a key part of closing off that space for human bias, for human discretion, for human interference,” said Schreiber. “And I think that is really starting to yield fruits – improving security and anti-corruption measures, but also efficiency.”

Technology, however, cannot solve legacy issues like inadequate training, a lack of basic public administration skills, and chronic constitutional illiteracy amongst frontline staff – all of which play a central role to any rights-based and service-orientated reform.

While digitalisation alone cannot deliver this institutional renewal, Schreiber believes that it is a critical tool for driving the necessary change. “We are fundamentally re-engineering the entire process of how the state operates in this domain. And we’re able to do that because technology creates the opportunity for us to look afresh at how government services can be delivered.”

The minister acknowledged that restoring border security remains “a mountain to conquer” after decades of underinvestment. “There’s no magic wand to get rid of any of the problems that we’re dealing with,” he said, noting that border security is a multi-faceted challenge.

On the civic side, it is imperative that South Africa urgently expand access to smart IDs. “We have to understand the role that the green barcoded ID book plays in the identity fraud and illegal immigration space. There’s still 18 million people who carry that book and we know that it is, according to research, the most frauded document on the African continent.”

When it comes to the physical border environment, Schreiber highlighted meaningful progress through digital transformation. “We’ve piloted the use of drones, that has led to a 215% increase in our detection of people trying to cross illegally.” Still, he warned that success depends on adequate funding for the BMA. “The best investment South Africa can make right now, is capacitating the Border Management Authority.”

While funding remains a major hurdle across the Home Affairs ecosystem, there are a number of measures being taken to secure resources. Schreiber pointed to the upgraded Online Verification System for banks and insurers, which has improved accuracy while introducing sustainable fee structures. He says this development will assist in maintaining this foundational Home Affairs service, as he believes reform hinges on getting the verification side right.

Another way of addressing the self-financing issue, according to Schreiber, is the ETA. He said that visa fees will go into Home Affairs coffers, creating a source of revenue. At the same time, private sector partnerships continue to automate costly manual processes, while expanding access and driving efficiency.

“Very soon, South Africans will be able to go to bank branches – even in the most rural parts of the country – to interact with a camera and order a smart ID or a passport. And soon after that, they’ll be able to open the same banking app that they use to manage their finances, to also manage their identity services, and be able to order a smart ID or a passport there.”

For Schreiber, the overarching message is that state renewal is possible. “It is important that South Africans can see that things can get better, that even the most broken parts of the state can be fixed.”

He concluded: “If we could take this department, which everyone said was a poisoned chalice; if that department can modernise, if it can embrace technological solutions, if it can embrace collaboration with other partners in society, and that makes your life better, well, then surely we can do the same in other parts of the state and of our country.”