Pretoria, South Africa – South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has launched a new initiative targeting identity fraud. The department will cancel IDs that are duplicated, held by illegal immigrants, or belong to deceased individuals, according to a tweet from Home Affairs Minister Dr. Leon Schreiber.
A notice in the government gazette has called on individuals with blocked IDs to submit written reasons within 30 days explaining why their ID should not be canceled. Submissions can be sent to Sylvia Phasha at [email protected]. This move aims to resolve long-standing issues with wrongfully blocked IDs, some of which were flagged as far back as 2005.
This crackdown also aligns with a court order requiring the department to implement a fair administrative process to distinguish between wrongfully blocked IDs and those posing genuine security risks. The department’s efforts aim to remove fraudulent documents from circulation while addressing the concerns of those with legitimate IDs.
Dr. Schreiber encouraged the public to participate in the process to ensure fairness. He stated that these measures demonstrate the department’s commitment to addressing fraud and resolving ongoing challenges while following the rule of law.
For more information, the gazette is available online, and media inquiries can be directed to Siya Qoza at 082 898 1657 or Duwayne Esau, the Minister’s spokesperson, at 067 630 4183.
