Home Affairs to discipline Akasia staff after smoke walkout left residents stranded

The Department of Home Affairs says it will take disciplinary action against employees at its Akasia branch who walked out on August 21, leaving long queues of residents unattended.

Staff walkout sparks outrage

According to departmental spokesperson Thulani Mavuso, most officials left without authorisation, despite being given protective masks to continue working in the smoky conditions caused by the recent tyre factory fire in Pretoria North.

“Officials left the office without authorisation, leaving only four behind. As a result, they are facing disciplinary action. We cannot tolerate disruptions to service delivery, particularly when members of the public have travelled and queued for long hours,” Mavuso said.

Contingency plan activated

The department deployed four additional staff from its Tshwane District Management Office to stabilise operations. Arrangements were also made with nearby branches to handle applications.

Mavuso insisted that no client was left unattended. “Despite the unauthorised walkout, all clients with appointments as well as walk-ins were assisted through these measures,” he said.

Residents share frustration

Residents at the scene described confusion and poor communication before the backup staff arrived.

• Sheila Mabuya, who travelled from Soshanguve, said she was told to return another day. “We were standing in the queue since early morning. Security told us staff had left because of the smoke. Only later did some officials return, but many people had already gone home.”

• Santie van Rensburg, who had waited five weeks for her appointment, said the disruption cost her valuable time. “We waited from 06:00. Hours later, they told us to leave and make new appointments. The staff was rude. We sat for hours in the smoke, but we were not sick.”

Department defends position

Mavuso acknowledged the tough conditions created by the tyre factory blaze but said walking out without approval was unacceptable.

“The health and safety of staff are important, but proper channels exist to raise such concerns. Our responsibility is to ensure service delivery is not interrupted,” he said.

Fire finally extinguished

The Tshwane Emergency Services Department confirmed that after more than five days of non-stop firefighting, the massive tyre factory fire in Klerksoord was fully extinguished.

EMS spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni praised the crews: “Our firefighters worked under extremely challenging conditions. We are pleased to confirm that the fire is now completely out.”

Bigger picture

The incident raises fresh questions about how government departments manage health and safety concerns while still ensuring uninterrupted service delivery. With residents often waiting weeks for appointments, disruptions like the Akasia walkout fuel growing frustration over the reliability of Home Affairs services.

{Source: Rekord}

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