THETO MAHLAKOANA: Home affairs cellphone ban a flimsy excuse for inefficiency
Department should instead stick to existing cellphone usage policy for employees
The call for a blanket ban on cellphone use by home affairs officials is a tactic to distract from the serious problems hampering service delivery at the department. The parliamentary committee on home affairs this week urged the department to consider this proposal due to what it described as “excessive amounts of complaints” by users. Cellphones are a big part of our everyday lives, with a constant roll of text messages, Facebook and Twitter updates, e-mails and phone calls, which is why it could pose as a distraction and keep employees from interacting with customers. It is a proven and well-researched fact that these devices can impact on productivity, and this is why many employers have put in place policies governing the use of cellphones. Home affairs has such a policy in place. So, for the committee to suggest that a ban on cellphones would make home affairs a more “professional” service is disingenuous. In 2018 former home affairs minister Malusi Gigaba told the nation that...
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