Pretoria – The issuing of smart ID cards is making good progress, with the Department of Home Affairs reporting that it has passed the 300 000 mark.
Home Affairs Department on Tuesday said it has issued more than 300 000 smart ID cards since they were introduced last year.
The department had set a target to issue 100 000 smart IDs by the end of March this year.
The then Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor was the first person to receive the new smart ID card.
The new smart ID cards have a microchip, the specifications for which cannot be disclosed for security reasons, which houses the necessary biometric data unique to every individual. The information on the chip is laser-engraved to prevent tampering.
The introduction of smart IDs is aimed at cutting down on the fraudulent use of fake or stolen IDs, as the new cards are almost impossible to forge.
The new IDs were first issued to all first-time ID and re-issue applicants. The department envisages it will take about seven to eight years to do away with the current green ID book. – SAnews.gov.za
