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SWA ID to finally phase out in 2017

Source: New Era, 08/04/2016

SWA ID to finally phase out in 2017
April 4, 2016 New Era
It will be exactly 27 years after gaining independence that Namibia
will finally phase out the usage and presence of the old South West
Africa/Namibia identification document (ID).
At least 70 000 Namibians still use what is known as the old South
West Africa (SWA) ID but the Home Affairs and Immigration Ministry is
giving people until March 31 next year to get the new version of the
national document.
This, the ministry says, is being motivated by the drive to adapt to
international best practices that encourage that only one type of
legal ID be used within a given national territory.
Furthermore, Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pendukeni
Iivula-Ithana is of the opinion that many of the old IDs contain wrong
particulars.
She explained that the phasing-out exercise would provide an
opportunity for the affected people to rectify their particulars.
She then made a call on Namibian citizens and permanent residents who
still use the old SWA/Namibia ID to apply for new a new Namibian ID as
soon as possible.
This process will be conducted under the Civil Registration
Department, which will receive more than N$186 million also to manage
the National Population Register.
Iivula-Ithana said that the department will continue to lead the
implementation of the Vital Statistics (CRVs) Strategy together with
the Namibia Statistics Agency (NSA), and stakeholders are meeting
regularly to report on the progress made.

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