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Home Affairs plans to expand smart ID and passport services to more bank branches �` but there’s a catch

Source: The Bharat Express News, 01/04/2022

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) plans to expand its service offering through bank branches in the coming months to reduce growing queues at its offices.
However, the expansion was hampered by several logistical issues, including the lack of available personnel.
Responding to a recent parliamentary question and answer session, Home Secretary Aaron Motsoaledi said his department and the country’s major banks had not signed the necessary public-private partnership (PPP) due to a number of “relevant issues” that still need to be resolved.
These issues include:
• System support in banks;
• Assignment of dedicated officials from the Ministry of the Interior per bank;
• Training of certain banking agents;
• Lack of available staff.
“Currently, the Civic Services team is under capacity in Home Office branches nationwide, with no additional staff to send to banks. This issue applies to all potential banks for further deployment of the service in question,” Motsoaledi said.
He added that once the issue of PPP approval is resolved, it will pave the way for his department to initiate a rollout plan, including human resources, with banks that wish to participate.
Existing partnership
The department has an existing public-private partnership agreement with the banking industry, with 27 banks currently enrolled in a pilot project to offer home affairs services.
The list of branches and departments is expected to be expanded, which will lead to an increased footprint, the ministry said in its 2022/2023 annual report.
“These partnerships could play a key role in reducing long queues at home affairs offices, for example, using the banking sector to receive and collect smart ID cards and passports.

The public-private partnership process could also be used for the appointment of a business partner and the acquisition of a permanent DHA headquarters,” he said.
In a separate space presentation in parliament in February, the department said it was currently conducting a feasibility study on opening dedicated branches inside malls across the country.
The list of bank branches where you can get your Smart ID and passport in South Africa is available here.
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