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Smart Card bank applications to be expanded

Source: News24, 25/08/2016


Cape Town - Home Affairs plans to expand its Smart Card applications
at bank branches by the end of October, following the success of the
pilot project, Minister Malusi Gigaba said on Wednesday.


Since the partnership began in April, a total of 35 751 applications
were submitted through the system known as "eHome Affairs" by
Tuesday.


Negotiations are underway with the "big four" banks - Absa, Standard
Bank, First National Bank and Nedbank - to expand the programme.
Currently the service is offered at 12 outlets in Gauteng and one in
Canal Walk, Cape Town.


Gigaba said the project cut down on queues at Home Affairs offices,
flushed out people with forged IDs, and allowed banks to reduce
document fraud with their link to the Home Affairs database.


The eHome Affairs project also offers passport applications at the
participating banks. The only service it cannot offer at present is
first-time identity document applications. These still have to be done
at a Home Affairs office.


Currently banks do not charge for the service, but could do so in
future.


The eHome Affairs project will also deal with the backlog of
converting the green identity document books to the Smart Card ID.


Current projections are that the optimistic target of
having everyone done by 2018 will be overshot by at least 17
years.


"It became clear that that timeline was completely misguided, even
with the best intentions," Gigaba said.


"That is why we are so eager to conclude the public-private
partnerships with participating banks to make the service available to
everybody."


Over five million people have their Smart Card already, but 34 million
still need to convert.
The cost to the department has been minimal because of the use of the
banks' facilities. Without extra budget, it would not have been able
to complete the conversions by itself.


Meanwhile, due to system maintenance and enhancements, Home Affairs
will not offer Smart Card or passport services on Saturday, 3
September.




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