Smart ID card rollout commencing in July

12 June 2013 News

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will begin the process of replacing traditional paper identity documents with smart ID cards from July this year, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor has announced. New applicants as well as those looking to replace their old identification will receive the new cards as part of a phased rollout from the department’s 27 regional offices. While she laid out no specific deadline, Pandor said that the transition is expected to be completed in six to seven years.

From the list of bidders to provide the material and software required to produce the new cards, the Government Printing Works selected Altech Card Solutions and Gemalto Southern Africa. The former will supply card personalisation machines and an automated mailing solution manufactured by Datacard of the USA, while the latter will supply blank, pre-printed polycarbonate cards containing a contactless microchip.

The DHA is confident that the processes put in place for the new cards are security tight and that they will spell trouble for those with fraudulent documents.

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