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More funds for home affairs systems

Simnikiwe Mzekandaba
By Simnikiwe Mzekandaba, IT in government editor
Johannesburg, 25 Oct 2017
Home affairs biometrics systems to undergo upgrades.
Home affairs biometrics systems to undergo upgrades.

MTBPS 2017: The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has received R264 million, transferred from the police department, for upgrades to its automated biometric information system.

This is according to the National Treasury's Adjusted Estimates of National Expenditure document, which highlights the mid-year progress achieved by the department.

The DHA has embarked on a modernisation project of its information systems, which it says aims to provide an integrated IT platform and automate civic and immigration business processes.

Further highlights in the adjusted estimates document indicate R191.4 million has been allocated for the upgrading of offices that will be rolling out smart identity (ID) cards.

The document further states R879.4 million has been allocated for the production and issuing of passports and smart IDs.

According to the DHA, it is determined to boost the issue of smart IDs. Home affairs needs to get smart IDs into the hands of 38 million South Africans, from 2.2 million a year in 2015/16 to five million a year by 2017/18.

R12 million has also been rolled over for the installation of voice over Internet Protocol and video conferencing systems, states the adjusted estimates document.

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