Johannesburg - The Department of Home Affairs, racked by long queues and sometimes chaos at their offices, is taking a giant leap by roping in some of the country’s big banks to help roll out smart IDs to millions of South Africans.
Three major banks are preparing to help, but were on Wednesday morning mum on how they would deal with security and the queues.
Home Affairs Minister Malusi Gigaba said Standard Bank, Nedbank and First National Bank had signed memoranda of understanding with the department to take applications for new smart-card IDs.
“There are several innovations that are going to be introduced by the department to assist South Africans with smart ID cards and passports,” he said.
“If I bank with Bank X, that bank will take my application. We are linking our systems with those banks for us to be able to undertake that process.
“A person can go to their bank. After banking, they can go to a Home Affairs kiosk within the bank and submit their applications.
“The kiosk will take the biometric photograph, automated fingerprint and electronic signature. That is then compiled into an electronic package and deposited to Home Affairs,” said Gigaba.
Applicants would collect their IDs at the banks.
The pilot project with the three banks was expected to begin in April.
Standard Bank on Wednesday morning confirmed its commitment to roll out new smart-card IDs to all South Africans.
Sibongiseni Ngundze, the head of retail banking at Standard Bank, said customers would be invited by appointment to come and apply for their new cards.
“The entire process will be handled by the Department of Home Affairs who will have dedicated staff at the bank.
“Customers will be able to have their photographs taken, fingerprints verified and pay for the new card all at this central office, making the process as seamless as possible.”
Customers would be able to collect their smart-card IDs from Standard Bank’s offices in Rosebank or Simmonds Street.
Brian Duguid, managing executive of the Nedbank Integrated Channels, also confirmed on Wednesday morning that Home Affairs had approached the bank to explore feasibility to enable clients to apply for their IDs via its branch network.
“The bank is currently assessing its infrastructure and processes to assist with the initiative.
“The bank has committed to a single site pilot to test the requirements as set out in the proposed memorandum of understanding,” he said.
FNB spokeswoman Virginia Magapatona confirmed that a memorandum of understanding had been signed.
However, she asked that all further queries be directed to Home Affairs.
Gigaba said the new system should lessen the pressure at Home Affairs offices and increase their ability to use private sector infrastructure.
If the pilot is successful, the department could then broaden the application for the smart ID card to all South Africans who wish to apply.
Gigaba said he hoped the Post Office would also be incorporated into the ID application project, but this would not happen immediately.
Of the 403 Home Affairs offices countrywide, 110 have a live-capture system for processing smart-card IDs and new passports.
The smart-card IDs can only be issued at offices where the new live-capture system is in place.
Home Affairs plans to distribute 1.6 million smart ID cards by March next year.
From February last year, first- time applicants and people over 60 were able to apply for the new cards.
It will take between six and seven years to roll out the entire project.
However, the old green bar-coded ID books will remain valid.
Since only a quarter of the Home Affairs offices have the live-capture system so far, those offices are suffering long queues.
The Star spoke to some of those who had tried to apply for new IDs.
Gordon Canning said he and his wife went to the Randburg offices to apply for the new ID cards.
“On our arrival, we found a queue stretching into the car park - it was about 100m long.
“I asked the attendant controlling the queue if there was another queue for the elderly who were applying for cards.
“He advised us that all the chairs in the building were occupied and we had to join the queue.
“Being 84, we are not capable of standing in line for a few hours, so we went home,” said Canning.
“I believe all senior citizens would appreciate the department changing its rules or legislation to only make it compulsory for persons under the age of 70 to apply for new cards.”
Corinne Stonely said she went to the Edenvale offices where she too found a long queue.
“I was told it would be about six hours before I would be served, so I left.
“I went to Randburg and it was a little better - I only waited four hours,” she said.
The Star