Calls For The Decentralisation Of The Registrar's Office Intensify

The government has been called upon to decentralise the issuance of government documents such as passports, birth certificates, and identity cards.

Beitbridge residents contributed during last week’s public inquiries by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Defence, Security, and Home Affairs that the decentralisation of the Registrar’s office will ease the process of accessing these documents. One resident, Mr. Jabulani Makhado said:

It is our plea that Government decentralise the Registrar’s General’s Office to district level, especially where the application, capturing of data and issuance of passports is concerned.

This office will then submit the applications to the provincial or the national office where production of the passports will be done. We are now living in the internet age where computers are networked. 

He also expressed concern over the recurrence of primary data capturing mistakes to which he suggested the deployment of personnel familiar with local languages.

Makhado’s sentiments were echoed by Beitbridge Deputy Mayor Councillor Munyaradzi Chitsunge who argued for the establishment of a passport referral center in Beitbridge. This would save local residents the fuss of traveling long distances to access the documents. Chitsunge also said this was necessary considering that the Beitbridge town is near a border post.

Related:

• Registrar General Scaling Down Issuance Of Emergency Passports As Paper Runs Out

More: The Chronicle