South African Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber outlines his plan to modernize the department by introducing online applications for IDs, passports and other documents, secured by biometric data.
Today marks the 100th day of the Government of National Unity (GNU) and multi-party alliance born from the fact that no political party amassed an outright majority during the 2024 elections. The alliance saw members of the various political parties placed in ministerial positions and within parliament. One of those positions was the Minister of Home Affairs which is currently being headed by the DA’s Leon Schreiber.
Since taking office, Schreiber has been working towards modernizing the department. The bad news is that this won’t be an overnight exercise, not that we believed it would be given how entrenched the department is in the old ways. However, Schreiber says that he will use his term to bring what he is calling Home Affairs @ home to life where South Africans can start the process of obtaining or replacing ID, passports or certificates online. This process will be linked a citizen’s biometrics. “The application will then be processed through an automated risk engine that only requires human intervention in cases where anomalies are detected. All other cases will be processed automatically, digitally and securely. Once an application is complete, the resultant ID, passport or other enabling document must be shipped directly to the door of the client, regardless of whether they live in South Africa or abroad – as is already done in the case of bank cards and vehicle licences. Over time, these vital documents will also be made available in digital format on the client’s secure online profile – and in the wallet app on their phone,” says Schreiber. These online applications could also extend to travellers hoping to visit South Africa. Rather than manual processes and endless paperwork, visitors would be able to make use of a secure online platform through which they can submit an Electronic Travel Authorisatio
Politics South Africa Home Affairs Digitalization Biometrics
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