Issued by: Department of Home Affairs
The Department of Home Affairs is (in the process of) launching a new identification system, involving an identity card to replace the identity book. This will coincide with the implementation of an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS).
The new identity card will ensure that a person qualifies for only one identity number and will become the key to any service required by an individual. This system will allow various institutions, as well as all government departments and the private sector, to easily verify a person's identity. An example of the aforementioned is the Department of Welfare which, with this system, will be able to verify identities to ensure that only South African citizens obtain the benefits of social pensions.
Not only is there a worldwide tendency to move towards an identity card, but the card is also more user friendly than a book, will be easier to carry around and will be more durable than a book, which is easily damaged. The fact that the removal of fire arm licenses, marriage certificates and drivers licences from the identity document leaves only the single data page in use, as well as the fact that the present production can be speeded up, urged the Department of Home Affairs to move to an identity card.
Several security features, such as embedded information which will be machine-readable, the storing of a fingerprint on the card, etc. will be built into the card. The aforementioned will ensure that three levels of identification verification will be possible, namely:
- visual inspection of the card, person and photograph, - stand-alone verification, which reads the stored information on the card and - on-line verification, which will allow the person and card to be compared to the information stored on the central database.
Since this new identification system will be implemented over the next eight years, members of the public will not be expected to replace their existing identity documents when the system comes into operation. The Department will also initially concentrate on the issuing of the new identity cards to pensioners, with the view to assisting the Department of Welfare to combat further fraud.
Extensive consultation have taken place and although no firm date has been set, the intention is to publish the tender before the end of 1996.
Issued by: Subdirectorate COMMUNICATION
DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS PLACE: PRETORIA DATE: 1996/07/29