Biometric testing causes delays at airports

OR Tambo International Airport. File picture: Tiro Ramatlhatse

OR Tambo International Airport. File picture: Tiro Ramatlhatse

Published Oct 28, 2016

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Johannesburg - Home Affairs Director-General Mkuseli Apleni on Friday admitted that biometric capturing at international airports had increased the processing time, but he said the technology has improved security and efficiency of vetting people entering South Africa.

Apleni made his remarks in apparent response to rising complaints of massive delays at OR Tambo, where visitors to the country are having to wait in long queues before they can get through immigration and customs.

He said despite existing processes that were designed to optimally manage the traveller demand, “under capacitation” remains a critical vulnerability in the management of immigration at the airport, resulting in complaints about lengthy queues and delayed flights.

“The total number of immigration counters at OR Tambo International Airport is 87 and even with a 100% staff attendance not all the counters can be fully staffed. A 100% attendance is not attainable due to normal Human Resource factors,” said Apleni.

He said that biometric capturing has enhanced South Africa’s capacity to uniquely identify individuals and confirm the identity of travellers with the highest possible degree of certainty, security and efficiency.

In December 2015 the Department of Home Affairs introduced the biometric capturing system at international airports including OR Tambo, Cape Town, King Shaka and Lanseria.

Apleni said while the technology had increased the processing time of travellers, it remained a key component in order to protect South Africa’s national security.

“To improve facilitation, South African Citizens have been automatically exempted from this process,” he said.

Apleni said that the facilitation of legal movement by visitors to South Africa entailed the issuance of enabling documents such as visas and permits.

“In this regard, the capturing of biometrics on arrival at the port of entry also assisted with the relaxation of the immigration regulation, which had initially required persons from visa required countries to appear in person during the visa application process,” explained Apleni.

“This includes facilitating travellers from approximately 1 500 Accredited Tourism Companies in China.”

He said as part of the biometric programme, the department is in the process of piloting the linking of the movement of a child to an adult on the Movement Control System to ensure the departments continuous protection of children admitted to and departing from the Republic.

“The biometric programme of the department remains a priority and we are committed to a phase in approach,” Apleni said.

“Further rollout at major (identified) land ports of entry is work in progress and by the end 2016/17 it is projected that at least six high volume ports of entry will be ready to assist travellers arriving from SADC states.”

Apleni said that around 90% of all movements at land ports of entry were from SADC nationals, the introduction of such a capability would have far reaching effects in terms of facilitating traveller movements while ensuring that the department has a record of foreign nationals who had entered South Africa.

“In essence, biometric capturing of travellers lays the foundation for Trusted Traveller processes and self-service options through automated gates,” Apleni said.

He, however, said there was progress on the concessions made to ease implementation of the amended immigration legislation and regulations.

African News Agency

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