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Minister of Home Affairs (South Africa) facts for kids

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South Africa
Minister of Home Affairs
Flag of South Africa.svg
Leon Schreiber, May 2017.png
Incumbent
Leon Schreiber
since 30 June 2024
Department of Home Affairs
Style The Honourable
Appointer Cyril Ramaphosa
Inaugural holder Jan Smuts
Formation 31 May 1910
Deputy Fatima Chohan
Salary R2,211,937
Website Department of Home Affairs

The Minister of Home Affairs is a very important job in the Cabinet of South Africa. This person is in charge of the Department of Home Affairs. Think of them as the boss of everything related to who is a citizen, who can live in South Africa, and how people prove who they are.

Currently, Leon Schreiber holds this position. He was chosen by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 30 June 2024.

What Does the Minister of Home Affairs Do?

The Minister of Home Affairs has many key responsibilities. They handle things like:

  • Deciding who can come into South Africa and who can stay. This includes rules for immigration (people moving here) and refugees (people seeking safety).
  • Keeping track of all South African citizens. This is called the civil registry. It includes births, marriages, and deaths.
  • Issuing important documents. This means giving out identity documents (IDs) and passports to citizens.

Basically, the Minister and their department make sure that South Africa knows who is in the country and that everyone has the right papers.

A Look at Past Ministers

The role of the Minister of Home Affairs (or similar titles like Minister of the Interior Affairs) has been around since 1910. Over the years, many different people have held this important position.

Early Ministers (1910-1984)

The very first Minister of the Interior Affairs was Jan Smuts, who later became a famous Prime Minister. During this long period, many different political parties were in power. Ministers from the South African Party, the National Party, and the United Party all took turns leading the department. They helped shape how South Africa managed its population and borders.

Ministers During a Time of Change (1984-1994)

From 1984, the title changed slightly to Minister of Internal Affairs. This was a time of big changes in South Africa's history. Ministers like F. W. de Klerk, who later became President, held this role. These ministers worked under different Presidents as the country moved towards a new democratic era.

Ministers in Modern South Africa (1994-Present)

After 1994, when South Africa became a democracy, the position was officially named the Minister of Home Affairs. The first person to hold this role in the new democratic government was Mangosuthu Buthelezi from the IFP. He served for ten years.

Since then, several other important figures have been Minister of Home Affairs, mostly from the ANC. These include Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, and Aaron Motsoaledi. Each minister has played a part in making sure South Africa's home affairs system works for all its citizens. The current minister, Leon Schreiber, took office in 2024.

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