Biometrics to be fully implemented by mid-2016

Source: tourism Update, 04/12/2015

All international travellers arriving at SA`s ports of entry will
submit biometric data when the system has been rolled out.


The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) began its pilot programme of
capturing biometric data at South Africa`s international airports
earlier this month and plans to have biometric machines implemented at
every port of entry by July or August 2016.


This is despite the fact that the DHA undertook the taking of
biometrics and photos of travellers within three months of the
inter-ministerial committee`s recommendations, which were released at
the end of October.


Spokesperson for the DHA, Mayihlome Tshwete, told Tourism Update that
DHA would implement biometric machines at four ports of entry every
month, prioritising the ports of entry that handled the highest volume
of passengers.


The biometric machines were currently not at all arrival and transit
counters at OR Tambo International Airport, King Shaka International
Airport and Cape Town International Airport as the project was still
being tested, said Tshwete.


He said biometrics were currently only being taken from international
transit passengers during the busy December period at OR Tambo, as the
volume of passengers was too high. Tshwete added that by early next
year, once the peak period ended, all international passengers would
be submitting biometric data at OR Tambo.


Amy Thompson, Acsa Customer Care Supervisor: Viewing Deck and Social
Media at OR Tambo International Airport, confirmed that the pilot
project was still being tested at the airport. She told Tourism Update
that biometrics were only being taken at transit counters on selective
travellers at the airport and that biometrics were only expected to be
permanently enabled at all transit and arrival counters by the
beginning of next year.


Biometric data was being captured at Lanseria International Airport,
confirmed Claudette Vianello, Marketing, Media and PR Manager for
Lanseria.


Biometric data was also currently being captured from transit
passengers at Cape Town International Airport, said Tshwete. "From
mid-December, the biometric project will be officially launched at
Cape Town International Airport and we will speak to Operations about
launching at King Shaka International Airport."


When the project was fully implemented, all international travellers
would submit biometric data at the arrival and transit counters at
SA`s international airports, regardless of whether or not they needed
a visa to enter SA, he said.