Possible changes coming for ID cards in SA, says Home Affairs

The Department of Home Affairs could possibly implement big changes to ID cards in SA, in a bid to strengthen passport security.

The Department of Home Affairs will reportedly propose new legislation that will allow people as young as 10 to get an ID card. 

This was reportedly revealed by minister Aaron Motsoaledi this week while addressing a National Council of Provinces. 

HOME AFFAIRS PROPOSES BIG CHANGES FOR IDS

The legislation that the department wants to propose is reportedly one of the measures Motsoaledi wants to implement to strengthen passport security in the country.

Motsoaledi said Home Affairs wants more stringent border security and additional requirements for receiving important identification and travel documents in the country.

One of the mechanisms to manage fraud is to have more people on the Home Affairs database, reportedly. 

It is no secret that Home Affairs has been hard at work trying to curb syndicates who manufacture fake documents. These operations have led to the arrest of a number of illegal immigrants especially in Gauteng who make IDs, Passports, SASSA and bank cards fraudulently. 

These operations have also led to the arrest of Home Affairs employees who allegedly issue documents fraudulently or are part of the syndicates and benefit from them. 

ALSO READ: You can now get a passport at these banks in SA…

In June this year, the House of the Lords in the United Kingdom condemned Irish airline, Ryanair, which forced South African passport holders to do a 15-question general knowledge quiz in Afrikaans before they could board their flights either to or from London.

The low cost airline faced a lot of backlash and criticism over the test which it said is an “additional safety assessment “. A number of South African passport holders were up in arms following this and some took to social media to express their frustration.

Ryanair said it had a responsibility to ensure that passengers are correctly documented for travel to their destination in terms of UK laws. 

The low-cost airline said due to the recent increase in passengers attempting to travel on fraudulent South African passports, their handling agents may request passengers travelling on a South African passport, and who are flagged during procedural security profiling, to complete a simple questionnaire, as an additional safety assessment to confirm whether they are correctly documented before travel. 

By: Nokwanda Ncwane