Being deployed to the Home Affairs Department's hot seat of director-general for a few months would have seemed like a posting from hell for anyone - not least Mavuso Msimang.

Being deployed to the Home Affairs Department's hot seat of director-general for a few months would have seemed like a posting from hell for anyone - not least Mavuso Msimang.

What with the department's public service delivery record long the bane of countless complaints from locals and immigrants weary of corruption.

In fact, no government service had arguably generated so much negative public sentiment and publicity as did the department in the past two decades.

But now winds of change seem to be quietly sweeping through the department - for better. Msimang is the new broom, instilling discipline, inculcating a new work ethic, all part of his turnaround strategy.

In recent weeks, he appealed for public patience as began his clean-up drive. Thankfully, that's beginning to pay off - that is, judging from the results of the ongoing departmental internal swoop, which resulted in the dismissal or suspension of 189 officials in the past five months.

Though it's early days, all systems point to Msimang slowly turning the tide against corruption at the department.

We should put our faith in him, for he appears sufficiently inspired for the great challenge.