30 Mar 2017

 Parliament has been informed that the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs is experiencing shortage of office accommodation in the districts.
Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu said this situation is exacerbated by the difficulty in getting offices for lease and budget constraints.
Answering a parliamentary question on Wednesday, Minister Batshu said with regard to furniture, although adequate, some needed replacement.
Regarding Letlhakane office, Mr Batshu said the office has a staff compliment of 13, six at immigration and citizenship and seven at civil and national registration departments.
He told the House that there are currently no vacant posts in the two departments, and that one officer at Department of Civil and National Registration is on a two year study leave commencing August 2016.
“One of the officers has been appointed to act during his absence,” he added.
Minister Batshu further said there are six offices which are occupied by the two departments, adding that ‘the office accommodation is not sufficient for the needs of the departments.’
“My ministry is working around a very tight budget allocation and re-prioritisation of these matters is being carried out for the various district offices across the country,” he said.
Parliament was informed that in order to augment staff, the ministry has engaged Tirelo Setshaba participants, graduate volunteers and interns.
Furthermore, Mr Batshu said they were conducting an inventory of furniture in all offices throughout the country with a view to determining the needs of each office.
Funds permitting, the minister said Letlhakane office would be considered for replacement of old furniture along with other offices during the financial year 2017/18.
Member of Parliament for Boteti East, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe had asked Minister Batshu to update the House on the status of the immigration and civic registration office in Letlhakane regarding staff establishment, the number of vacant posts, office space and furniture and when his ministry will attend to anomalies, if there are any. ENDS