GOVERNMENT TO ROLL OUT SCHOOL-BASED ID APPLICATIONS TO PROTECT LEARNING TIME

By Sipho Ncube

• Government plans to deploy Home Affairs mobile trucks to schools to assist learners, particularly matric candidates, with ID applications.
• The initiative aims to prevent learners from missing valuable classroom time while accessing essential services.
• The Service Delivery Blitz also raised awareness on human trafficking, crime prevention, substance abuse, and gender-based violence.

The Gauteng MEC for Social Development, Faith Mazibuko, has urged parents and learners to prioritise schooling and avoid missing valuable class time to apply for Identity Documents (IDs) at Department of Home Affairs offices.

Speaking during an Integrated Service Delivery Blitz at Phiri Hall last Friday, Mazibuko announced government’s plan to bring Home Affairs services directly to schools.

“As government, we plan to deploy Home Affairs mobile trucks to schools to facilitate ID applications, particularly for learners who will be writing their matric examinations. This will ensure they do not miss school while applying for IDs,” she said.

Mazibuko stressed that uninterrupted schooling is critical, especially for matric learners preparing for their final examinations.
“We do not want their education to be disrupted, as this could have serious consequences for their future,” she added.

The outreach programme also focused on raising awareness about Trafficking in Persons, often referred to as modern-day slavery. Departmental Social Worker Sakhile Ndlela highlighted a recent joint awareness campaign conducted with the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Gauteng Johannesburg Police Taxi Forum, and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD).

The campaign addressed crime prevention, substance abuse, gender-based violence, and human trafficking, with a particular focus on transportation as a key element in trafficking operations and on how communities can report suspected cases.

The Service Delivery Blitz brought together several government departments and partners, including the Department of Home Affairs, the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), the Gauteng Department of Health, and the Department of Employment and Labour, alongside funded Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs), to provide integrated and accessible services to the community.