South Africa’s Home Affairs could soon eliminate the frustrating experience of waiting in long queues. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber recently announced plans to modernise the department’s services through a digital platform, potentially ending in-person visits for most services.
According to BusinessTech, the department’s vision is to replace its outdated manual processes with a secure, user-friendly, and fully automated system. This transformation will introduce a seamless digital platform where all applications, adjudications, and communications between South Africans and Home Affairs will occur online.
Digital Platform to Transform Home Affairs Services
Minister Schreiber envisions this platform to function similarly to online banking services, allowing citizens to access Home Affairs services from the comfort of their homes. This new system will handle services such as applications for IDs, passports, visas, and certificates, entirely online.
By leveraging advanced facial and fingerprint recognition technologies, like those found on smartphones, the department will be able to create secure profiles for citizens and visitors. “If we get this right,” Schreiber remarked, “the need to visit Home Affairs offices for routine transactions will be a thing of the past.”
This shift also promises to improve the working conditions for Home Affairs staff. Freed from routine administrative tasks, employees will be able to focus on more critical issues. “Our staff will be better equipped to serve those who need it most,” Schreiber added. This includes rural communities, the poorest members of society, and people without access to smart devices.
How the Digital System Will Work
The proposed system will feature a machine-learning risk engine to verify applications, authenticate users, and check for fraud. It will conduct facial recognition checks, cross-reference databases, and handle cashless transactions—all in seconds.
The goal? No more queuing, no more delays, and no more being left in the dark about the status of applications. The platform will eliminate the opportunity for corrupt officials or syndicates to solicit bribes, as the entire process will be transparent and secure.
Schreiber believes this system could eventually enable Home Affairs to deliver services to citizens anywhere in the world. He also suggested that IDs and passports could be delivered directly to applicants’ doors—just like how banks deliver credit and debit cards.
Addressing System Downtime
Despite these ambitious plans, Schreiber acknowledged a major hurdle: the frequent system outages at Home Affairs offices. These downtimes have long been a source of frustration for South Africans, leading to delays in issuing critical documents like passports and smart ID cards.
In a recent interview, Schreiber was clear about the need to fix the department’s failing internet infrastructure, noting how often Home Affairs offices are crippled by outages. “It’s 2024—how do we not have fast enough internet connections in these offices?” he questioned.
He emphasised that upgrading the department’s internet infrastructure without turning it into a “tender bonanza” would be a priority under his leadership. Schreiber aims to resolve these issues and create an efficient system that works reliably for everyone.
The Struggle with System Outages
Home Affairs’ system failures have been an ongoing problem. In January 2024, a major outage disrupted services across the country, with Home Affairs blaming the State Information Technology Agency (SITA). The department has struggled with system outages, despite SITA’s R400 million investment in upgrading the network in 2022.
These outages have not only frustrated citizens applying for documents but also caused massive delays in producing smart ID cards. According to former Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi, nearly 141,000 hours of ID card production time had been lost since the 2019/20 financial year due to system failures.
Schreiber aims to change that. By addressing infrastructure issues and implementing a robust digital platform, Home Affairs could finally put an end to its long-standing inefficiencies, giving South Africans a more streamlined, reliable, and corruption-free experience.
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