How home affairs plans to collect and use your personal data

Source: Business Tech, 07/07/2017

How home affairs plans to collect and use your personal data


One of the key proposals of the document is a complete restructuring
of Home Affairs, taking steps towards becoming completely
self-sustainable.


This would include raising its own funds in a National Social Security
Fund (NSSF) through an increase in fees currently charged for IDs,
passports, birth and death certificates as well as a new nation-wide
form of identity “vetting”.


This vetting will see you charged anywhere between a R1 and R4 for
some day-to-day transactions requiring proof of identity (airline
tickets, school registrations, hospital check-ins and social grant
collection), which are then verified biometrically through Home
Affairs to confirm legitimacy.


In addition the new vetting model would give government access to you
personal data to better help with service delivery through policy,
legal, research and statistical analysis.


This will also become a key source of revenue, according to the
document, with “the sale of identity services and products (being)
another large revenue stream, with potential partners including GPW,
the CSIR and private sector companies.”


Following the policy document’s discussion at the ANC’s National
conference, Home Affairs spokesperson David Hlabane has since
explained to BusinessTech exactly how the new system will work.
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Q: When cane we expect the restructuring and new biometric systems?
A: Within two to three years.

Hlabane confirmed that cabinet had approved a business case for
repositioning the DHA from routine administration to “a strategic
enabler of service delivery, security, efficient government and
economic development” on 1 March 2017.
Cabinet also confirmed it would be positioned within the security
system of the state, using of biometrics replacing the existing
National Population Register with a comprehensive database of citizens
and all other nationalities.
“Already, all enabling documents such as IDs and passports, have to be
applied for and collected by the individual citizen concerned and
their identity is checked on-line by “live capture” of her or his
biometrics,” said Hlabane.
“Biometrics at key ports of entry have been piloted and the intention
is to roll the system out for all travellers at all ports within two
to three years.”
________________________________________
Q: How far away are the verification charges and other proposals?
A: Policy and legislation is expected to be finalised in 2018.
The repositioning requires new legislation and systems as well as new
operating and funding models that are managed by professional staff,
said Hlabane.
He noted that these developments have been underway for several years,
with 4.1 million smart ID cards already having been issued by 31 March
2017, alongside 179 offices and 12 bank branches (ABSA, FNB, Nedbank
and Standard Bank) which are fully equipped with digital processing of
IDs and passports as well as online services.
He confirmed that the drafting of new policy and legislation regarding
the DHA will be completed in 2018, with the public invited to make
substantive submissions on the Discussion Paper by the end of
September 2017.
Within 3 years, key elements such as automated registration of births,
marriages and deaths and a new digital visa and permit system. The
National Identity System will be launched in the same time frame and
be fully functional within five years.
“Old organisational and operational models will be replaced through
large-scale retraining programmes and a critical number of
professionals will be on the staff. All aspects of repositioning Home
Affairs will be completed within ten years.”
________________________________________
Q: Where and when will the new verification charges apply?
A: Will be determined through public discussions.
While Hlabane didn’t give an exact date or the types of transactions
that will be verified, he did confirm that like all other legislation
it would be informed by stakeholder and public discussion.
“By the time the National Identity and related systems come on line
and can support a large number of interfaces the intention is to have
robust policy and governance arrangements in place,” he said.
Speaking on how the increased money will benefit Home Affairs,
Hlabanae noted that the ID number has been a key field in most
payment, tax, licensing and security systems across the state and the
economy.”
“Through an agreement signed with SABRIC, the DHA has been levying a
charge against verification done at the request of banks although the
scale has been limited.”
“The systems being built by the DHA have the potential to drastically
reduce fraud and enable large efficiency gains across the economy.
These systems will cost more to maintain, secure and manage, but the
savings effected are likely to be much greater than the fees charged
across millions of transactions,” he said.
________________________________________
Q: How much will ID and Passport application fees increase?
A: Will follow a review â€" but first issue of some documents will stay
free.
Alongside the new funding models, the discussion document also
proposed that Home Affairs would see increased revenue through an
increase in the cost of ID, Passport, certificates and other
documentation.
“Any such increase will follow the periodic reviews that take place
from time to time with National Treasury on a cost-recovery basis with
first issues of some documents being free.”
“The general principle is to try and keep fees as low as possible for
the poor and vulnerable, with full cost recovery from those who can
afford it.”
“Premium services would attract higher costs and these will enable
this policy to be sustained and to maintain acceptable levels of
efficiency and security.”