Problem with green ID books

A third of Home Affairs offices can’t issue smart ID cards because their systems have not been modernised.

Therefore, South Africa’s old green barcoded ID book remains the only option for many citizens who don’t live near a Home Affairs or bank branch with the necessary equipment.

This is according to home affairs minister Leon Schreiber, who revealed the figure in an interview with Sunday newspaper Rapport this week.

In a separate interview with eNCA, Schreiber explained that this is a high-priority challenge because the green ID book is extremely vulnerable to fraud.

Smile ID’s Digital Identity Fraud 2024 report found that the South African ID book was the most targeted identity document for fraudsters in Africa.

In 34% of the cases where its know-your-customer detection flagged fraudulent attempts to access services, a green ID book was used.

“That’s why we’re encouraging people — if they are able to — to get the smart ID card, because it is a more secure document,” said Schreiber.

When former home affairs minister Naledi Pandor first launched South Africa’s smart ID card project in 2013, the plan was to phase out the ID book and declare it invalid by 2021.

However, the project is many years behind schedule and faces many hurdles — among them, millions of people being unable to apply for smart IDs at all.

This includes naturalised citizens and permanent residents who have been blocked from applying for a smart ID.

Only recently have naturalised citizens been allowed to seek an invitation to apply from the Home Affairs director-general.

Schreiber acknowledged that not everyone could get a smart ID yet and said that, in the meantime, Home Affairs was also cracking down on officials who had any hand in enabling identity fraud.

“From our side, we also need to do a lot more to enable people to obtain that smart ID card,” he said.

Schreiber said they were looking at ways to expand Home Affairs’ presence.

“We have existing partnerships with the banks and retailers — so that is one mechanism that we’re looking at.”

The Banking Association of South Africa (BASA) has been facilitating discussions on public-private partnership (PPP) agreements between the banks and the DHA for about three years.

As soon as the PPPs are in place, South Africa’s major banks have told MyBroadband they plan to immediately add 34 additional eHomeAffairs branches to their existing networks.

This will more than double the current number of eHomeAffairs branches around the country.

BASA’s prudential head, Mark Brits, said the agreements should be mostly completed and signed by the end of September 2024, with just some final legal ironing to go.

The PPPs will allow the banks to use their own employees and infrastructure to run the service, which could make it commercially viable.

This is a win-win for the banks and Home Affairs, as it will release the government department’s staff to be deployed elsewhere and Schreiber recently said they were significantly understaffed.

“After years of budget cuts, Home Affairs now only has 40% of the staff required to provide adequate services under the current model,” he said.

Schreiber said the ultimate goal is to completely digitally transform Home Affairs and eliminate queuing at branches to apply for and collect documents.

“The existing business model is not financially sustainable nor future-proof, and needs to be replaced by a new model that enables clients to access our services wherever they are.”

The department has called this initiative Home Affairs @ Home and plans to implement it within the next five years.

“All of the department’s services must become fully automated, digitised and offered online at the fingertips of our clients, from the comfort of their own homes,” said Schreiber.

Document holders must be allowed to apply online through a secure platform linked to their unique biometrics. The application will then be processed through an automated risk engine.

Human intervention must only be required in situations where anomalies are detected.

“All other cases will be processed automatically, digitally and securely,” Schreiber said.

His plan also includes shipping documents directly to clients, regardless of whether they live in South Africa or abroad.

He noted that similar approaches are effective regarding bank cards and vehicle licence discs.

“Over time, these vital documents will also be made available in digital format on the client’s secure online profile — and in the wallet app on their phone.”

Schreiber envisions similar seamless processes for South Africa’s immigration services, with plans for applicants to apply for Electronic Travel Authorisation through the secure online platform.

“Over time, this system will replace paper-based visas by issuing the traveller with a unique digital code linked to their passport information,” he said.

“Once they arrive at a South African port-of-entry, travellers will be required to scan their ETA code and provide another copy of their biometric information, which will then be verified against their passport and the information provided at the time of application.”

Schreiber first revealed his ambition to fully digitise Home Affairs services in August 2024, saying that the only way to tackle fraud was to remove the opportunity for human intervention in the system.

“It is only possible for someone to steal an ID number or engage in fraudulent activity like swopping out photos because the system has gaps that allow for human intervention,” Schreiber said.

“Until such time as Home Affairs has been transformed into a digital-first department, these abuses will keep happening and ‘the system will remain offline.'”