| Media release |
| DHA Voter Registration Readiness |
HOME AFFAIRS READY FOR VOTER REGISTRATION WEEKEND
The Department of Home Affairs will open its offices for extended hours during the voter registration period to assist citizens who wish to apply for and collect their Identity Documents in order to register for the 2009 elections.
As of Monday, 03 November 2008 until Sunday, 09 November 2008, Home Affairs offices countrywide will be open between 07h00 to 17h00 (07:00 am – 05:00 pm). During these hours, staff will be dispatched to Head Office to provide back office support with processing of applications at over 260 local offices and service points across the country.
The Department appeals to all South Africans who have applied for their IDs in recent months to collect them from the offices they applied. The green bar-coded ID is the only proof of identity that enables all eligible voters to register to vote.
Any one who has lost a green bar-coded ID can apply for a Temporary Identity Certificate (TIC) that can be issued immediately at any Home Affairs office - in order for them to register to vote - but this is subject to verification of the applicant’s fingerprints. The TIC is valid for three months and can be used as a form of identity while the application for a green bar-coded ID is being processed.
Some of the value-added services available to members of the public in the ID processing and delivery are:
A new Online Fingerprint Verification system that allows Home Affairs front line staff to approve applicants’ fingerprints on the spot when applying for a re-issue of an ID , thereby minimising time and delays it takes to manually verify fingerprints;
A Track &Trace System that allows clients to check how far in the processing queue their IDs are by means of an SMS. To receive an update of their ID application status, clients will need to sms the word ‘ID’, leave space and followed by the ID number, to 32551(For example: ID 1212127891082). Each SMS cost R1.00 charged by the network operator;
The Department’s website at www.dha.gov.za also has a link to Track &Trace on the homepage; and
The Client Service Centre can be contacted on 0800 60 11 90 (toll-free) regarding any matters relating to IDs, ID application or any other related services.
The Department reassures everyone using its services in the build up to and during the voter registration weekend that, it is all-systems-go as a dedicated team dealing with ID applications in preparation for the general elections next year has been established to ensure optimal co-operation and service delivery.
To this end, significant improvements have been made to reduce the time taken to issue an identity document. At the beginning of this year it took an average of 120 days for applicants to receive IDs, this has now been reduced to an average of 40 days.
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Released by Chief Directorate: Communication
Enquiries: Ronnie Mamoepa(Head of Communication)-ronnie.mamoepa@dha.gov.za 082 990 4853 | 04/11/2008 |
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