As the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) battles its passport backlog, it reveals its Live Capture system for passport applications will not be available at all offices - a move which could see further backlogs this year.
The department says it has installed the system in 40 Home Affairs offices, with one station in each of them. The DHA has spent R10 million on the implementation of the system in these offices, but says it doesn't have the budget for widespread roll-outs.
“We are hoping to have more, before the end of the financial year. However, because of financial constraints, we may not have it in every office,” the department says.
The Live Capture process ensures photos are captured live onto the system at the time of application, using automated software through digital cameras. Photos are then digitally printed onto the passport. The applicant's record, together with pictures, is then transferred for printing to Government Printing Works.
The system forms part of the department's new personal information processing system, which upgrades the passport process and ensures higher standards of security. The objective is to minimise fraudulent activities. However, the department has not indicated what measures would be in place in offices where the Live Capture system was not implemented.
The department has been battling passport backlogs since May and failed to meet the deadline to have it all cleared by July. Despite falsely stating the backlog had been cleared, the department confirmed it had only reduced the backlog.
“The backlog, which was caused by bad quality pictures, has been reduced without asking applicants to have their pictures taken again,” says the DHA.
Biometric solutions
The department has also introduced biometric access control at its offices and photo enhancement processes. The DHA says R29 million has been spent on the biometric logon system, which was introduced for the passport application process.
The solution uses fingerprint authentication and the smart card mechanism. Each time a user has to perform critical functions on the system, they are required to authenticate themselves, using their fingerprints. The system does not allow progression to another step in the process, until authentication has been performed.
Previously, users within the department, with the rights to perform activities on the passport application system, were accessing the system using password authentication. With this mechanism, users would swap passwords, and leave their workstations unattended, meaning fraudsters would get an opportunity to tamper with the system, the department explains.
“There is less intervention by officials, and this has resulted in minimising possible fraudulent activities,” notes the DHA.
The department adds that a non-repudiation database is kept for all transactions performed during the process of issuing passports. The specific user doing the transaction is linked with the date or time of the transaction - all of which is admissible evidence in a court of law.
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