Home Affairs slashes system downtime by 61% in 'major digital turnaround'

In the 2025/26 financial year, South Africa's Home Affairs department experienced a significant 61% decrease in system downtime, government officials reported. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber attributed the improvement to a series of digital reforms undertaken to modernize the department's technology infrastructure and enhance service delivery.

During the past year, the number of instances where offices were unable to operate due to system failures had decreased sharply, marking a significant milestone in the department's digital transformation programme. Total working hours lost to system downtime dropped from 35,426 hours in 2024/25 to 13,867 hours in 2025/26. This progress was attributed to targeted interventions such as upgrading network infrastructure, modernizing front-office applications, replacing outdated equipment, and eliminating single points of failure that previously caused prolonged service disruptions.

The improvements were observed across all nine provinces, with the Free State achieving the most substantial reduction at 79%, followed by Mpumalanga at 68%, Gauteng at 66%, and the Western Cape at 65%. The North West province, while seeing the smallest gain, still managed a 41% reduction in downtime. Schreiber stated that the 61% reduction in working hours lost to system downtime represents a major milestone in the department's digital transformation journey.

The reforms have not only expanded access to Home Affairs services, with over 408 bank branches rolling out digital Smart ID services in the past five months, but have also improved the quality of service offered at departmental offices. The minister emphasized that the department's reforms are beginning to change public perceptions of Home Affairs, making services more accessible and reliable.

While the work is not yet complete, the department aims to further enhance access and service delivery through digital transformation to ensure dignity for all South Africans. Additional efforts are underway to strengthen real-time system performance monitoring as part of the ongoing digital transformation initiatives.