The Department of Home Affairs is introducing a self-service system for smart ID’s, passports and other documentation. While presenting his departmental budget speech, deputy minister, Njabulo Nzuza said the system is planned for roll out in the 2022/2023 financial year.
“The 2022/2023 budget will see us exploring new ways to better serve citizens. We will procure kiosks that will allow clients to self-service for passports and smart ID applications and reprint birth, marriage and death certificates,” he said.
“The kiosk will be designed in a manner that will require authentication through biometrics and will be located in strategic areas to allow access even after office hours or weekends. The self-service kiosk will usher a new era in the manner in which we service our clients.”
Nzuza added that his department will expanding rapidly the online booking system in the coming months. “The Branch Appointment Booking System pilot currently operates on a hybrid model in the 25 offices that we have rolled in because we didn’t want to turn away clients that have not made a booking and it is only used to book for applications of passports and Smart ID cards only.
“In the future, we would like to only use service booked clients for those two products because it is our firm belief that scheduling an appointment for those two products is possible compared to scheduling a death or birth registration because those are occurrences that are not planned for in advance hence we will continue to take walk-ins for those two services,” said Nzuza.
Citizens will be able to book appointments using the Home Affairs website link on their laptops, tablets and smartphones,” he said.
He added that government is in discussions with the South African Post Office and exploring partnerships with more institution to extend the accessibility of the service.
Source: Business Tech, Africa Focus, Head Topics, image from Business Tech