11 Sep Home Affairs Internet Speeds Worse than Cheapest Internet

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in South Africa has long been plagued by issues related to outdated technology and frequent system downtimes. Despite some progress, including an upgrade from a mere 1Mbps to 2Mbps internet speed, the department’s infrastructure remains woefully behind modern standards. The continued use of DSL, a technology that has largely been replaced by faster fibre-to-home (FTTH) options for residential users, exemplifies the broader challenges the DHA faces.

Internet and DHA Operations

DHA Minister Leon Schreiber, who took office in July 2024, has been vocal about the need for modernisation within the department. In a recent interview with Newzroom Africa, Schreiber highlighted the connection between the department’s slow internet speeds and its frequent system downtimes. “It really is not acceptable. I would like to be the minister where the system is online, not offline,” he stated, underscoring the impact of subpar internet connections on the department’s operations.

The inefficiencies at DHA offices are exacerbated by the department’s reliance on the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) for its connectivity services. Sita has admitted that the DHA opted for the cheapest DSL service with the lowest service-level agreement (SLA), resulting in prolonged downtime issues. The SLA allows for up to 16 hours of turnaround time in resolving issues, a stark contrast to the expectations of a modern, efficient public service.

Slower than the Slowest

To illustrate the inadequacy of the DHA’s current internet speeds, MyBroadband compared these speeds with the broadband options available to South African households in August 2024. The comparison revealed that no home broadband packages matched the DHA’s 2Mbps speed. Instead, the minimum speed available from all broadband technologies was 4Mbps, with options like fixed-LTE and fixed-5G offering significantly higher speeds.

System downtime has had a tangible impact on the DHA’s ability to provide services. Former DHA Minister Aaron Motsoaledi revealed in Parliament that the department lost nearly 141,000 working hours between the 2019/2020 and 2022/2023 financial years, primarily due to load-shedding and system downtime. These disruptions have significantly hampered the department’s ability to produce smart ID cards, among other key services.

Efforts to Be Better

Despite these challenges, the DHA has attempted to mitigate the impact of system downtimes by allowing certain services to continue offline. For instance, passport collections and the issuing of handwritten death certificates for burials can proceed even when the National Population Register (NPR) is inaccessible. However, the department’s capacity to operate effectively under these conditions remains limited, and the overall efficiency of service delivery suffers.

Sita has made some improvements, boosting its uptime on the DHA’s network to 99.5% in the 2023/2024 period. Yet, the department’s hours lost due to local system downtimes have continued to rise, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive overhaul of its infrastructure.

The disparity between the DHA’s internet speeds and the cheapest available broadband packages for homes serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for transformation within the department. As South Africa advances in its adoption of faster, more reliable internet technologies, government departments like the DHA must follow suit to ensure efficient and reliable service delivery.

For South Africans navigating the immigration process or other services provided by the DHA, it is crucial to understand the limitations imposed by the department’s current technological setup. While some services may be available offline during downtimes, the overall experience can still be frustratingly slow. Engaging with experienced immigration attorney firms, like June Luna Immigration Attorneys can help ensure that your needs are met with efficiency and expertise, even as the DHA works to improve its digital infrastructure.