Schreiber determined to introduce online application system at Home Affairs

CAPE TOWN - Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said that he was determined to introduce an online application system that would allow citizens to apply and have national documents delivered to them without stepping into an office.

He said that the Home Affairs @ home digital project was the most ambitious project undertaken by the department since democracy.

Delivering his budget vote address in Parliament on Tuesday afternoon, Schreiber said that removing the green identity book from use by the end of the year would dramatically decrease corruption.

ALSO READ:

• Parliament's Home Affairs committee edging closer to finalising Immigration Amendment Bill

• Home Affairs Minister says tech-savvy youth driving SA to move to electronic voting

One year in office and Minister Schreiber said that the foundation has been laid to reform the Department of Home Affairs.

Over the past year, 3.6 million smart IDs were issued, almost half a million more than the previous annual record.

But with a third of home affairs offices still unable to produce a smart ID, and no money to upgrade them, Schreiber said that the banks would be used to expand this service to another 100 branches.

"Through scaling up the existing collaboration with banks, we will rapidly accelerate access to smart IDs, with the goal of ending the production of new green ID books by the end of this year."

But Schreiber's ultimate goal is the introduction of a digital ID which will allow citizens to authenticate themselves remotely and which can be used for banking and insurance purposes.

"Home Affairs will shortly submit a digital ID policy to Cabinet for approval to conduct public hearings."

African National Congress (ANC) MPs were, however, quick to point out that Schreiber could not take credit for the digitisation project, saying the groundwork had already been laid by his predecessors.