HOME Affairs said it is extremely pleased with the public's response to the extension of operating hours as more than 33 500 people visited their offices on the first two days of the voter registration weekend.
The department said it helped more than 33 500 people in its offices and 105 mobile units which were deployed in the first two days of the service delivery blitz during the voter registration weekend.
It further said the majority of people were 25 700 who visited their offices on Saturday, 3 February.
The department added that almost 7 900 people visited during the two additional operating hours from 4pm to 6pm on Friday, 2 February.
Home Affairs Deputy Minister, Njabulo Nzuza said the overwhelming public response led to two offices and four mobile units operating beyond 5pm in Eastern Cape.
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“One office in the Western Cape operated beyond the closing time while there were three offices and two mobile units that did the same in Mpumalanga. In Gauteng, four offices operated beyond 5om while one office did in KZN. Over the two days, nearly 23 400 people came to collect their IDs," said Nzuza.
Nzuza added that another 9 100, mostly first-time applicants, came to apply for IDs, while more than 920 people applied for and received their Temporary Identification Certificates on the spot.
He said 148 people were referred by the Electoral Commission of South Africa to Home Affairs to update their status on the voters’ roll.
“People who came to collect their passports were also assisted. We continue to encourage first-time applicants to come and collect their documents.
“Home Affairs takes up to 13 working days to deliver an ID from the day of application. Therefore, if it has been more than two weeks since you applied, please come back and collect your ID,” said Nzuza.
