At a Parliamentary portfolio committee meeting last week, members asked when the smart card would become a reality. The department said announcements will be made soon since the current green ID book is not sufficient to match new technologies and transactions under the IT modernisation project.
Members asked if other countries had successfully implemented the smart ID card and the comprehensive ID system, what biometric systems would be used, whether there would be cooperation with other departments, and what information is to be made available via the smart card.
The DHA said Germany and Malaysia have successfully implemented the system. However, both these countries have different government systems, so the local approach to the smart ID card is informed by the structure of the South African system.
Deputy minister Fatima Chohan said the smart card will first be launched as a pilot, where senior management of the DHA will use the cards for a one-year period to establish how practical, functional and durable they are. Considering that many government systems will depend on this smart card, it is very important for the DHA to get it absolutely right, since even small errors with the card could lead to a huge national crisis, she noted.
With regards to other details, it added that the smart card system will be fully introduced and explained at the appropriate time. The smart ID card will replace the traditional green ID books for South African citizens. The smart cards will have embedded microchips, which can be used to secure state pension payouts. Additional uses are being considered.
April commencement
The DHA is finalising agreements with IT company Gijima and the South African Revenue Service for the total IT modernisation project called Who Am I Online (WAIO), which will cost R1.28 billion. The modernisation programmes will commence from 1 April.
The department said terms of the agreement with Gijima were interrogated, particularly in view of the previous failures and difficulties. Gijima and the DHA last year reached a settlement over the contract for WAIO after the department cancelled the contract in 2010, partly due to an escalation of costs from R2.1 billion to R4.5 billion, which the department said was invalid.
The IT modernisation project has been allocated a budget of R31.8 million in the 2012/13 financial year. During 2011/12 it was allocated R548 million. It will see the overhaul of the department's systems. The DHA is aiming to change its systems from paper-based, which it conceded are very cumbersome, to online and real-time electronic systems, which would be integrated not only within the DHA, but also with other government systems.
Voice recognition
The integration will minimise opportunities for fraud and corruption, since a transaction on one register will be automatically reflected on all other systems. Members had noted that insecurity of information, and hackers gaining fraudulent access to government systems, had been on the increase and there were ongoing instances of people abusing government IT systems.
The quality of fingerprints captured will improve, and biometric scanning will be used for DHA access, both at the start of and during a transaction. This will include fingerprint, face and voice recognition.
Queues and infrastructure problems would be addressed by counters housing client service consoles, which would allow for completion of transactions even where there are power failures.
World Cup extension
The department outlined several major initiatives under the modernisation programme. These included the National Identification System with biometric security features, which will replace the National Population Register and current asylum-seeker systems.
Live capture should be rolled out to all offices. The Online Application System will be used for civic services, permits and visas, and would combine Web-based applications with fingerprint verification on collection of documents.
The Electronic Queue Management System would monitor performance of DHA staff, and is being piloted. The Electronic Movement Control System had been used temporarily in place of WAIO during the World Cup, and is in use at 33 ports of entry and will be extended to all.
The Electronic Document Management System will digitise all paperwork and improve communications and overall performance. Infrastructure upgrades will improve DHA offices in rural areas, and the customer services interface will be improved so all information can be accessed from every office. The Trusted Traveller System provides an automated system for frequent travellers, and is to be piloted at the Maseru Bridge.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Farzana Rasool
Quelle/Source: ITWeb, 16.03.2012
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