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Tweets over ID book validity false - Home Affairs

Source: News 24, 21/11/2017

Johannesburg â€` The Department of Home Affairs has dismissed as false,
tweets claiming that the green, barcoded, South African identity book
was reaching the end of its lifespan.
`No such announcement has been made by the department. We wish to make
it clear that the green barcoded ID book remains a legal form of
identification and will continue to be until such time that the live
capture system is rolled out to all home affairs offices to enable
South Africans to apply for the smart ID cards at their nearest
offices,` department spokesperson David Hlabane said.
The tweet, purporting to be an official departmental announcement,
claims that the lifespan of the identity books comes to an end on
March 31, 2018 and urges South Africans to apply for their smart IDs
But Hlabane said the department had developed a plan to systematically
phase out the green ID book and ultimately consolidate the
restoration, common citizenship, identity and dignity to South Africans.
The department called on all South Africans to continue to apply for
the smart ID card at any of its 180 offices that are equipped to roll
the Live Capture System.
Hlabane said the department had also established a partnership with
FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank and ABSA banks to create an online portal
where clients could lodge their applications without visiting home
affairs offices.
South Africans can also visit the department`s website www.dha.gov.za
and click on the eHomeAffairs icon to apply.

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