South African agencies sign multiparty digital ID deal to drive govt efficiency

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) has entered into a multiparty collaboration agreement with three government agencies seeking to leverage the power of digitization to streamline digital ID for identity verification, fraud prevention, travel facilitation, law enforcement, and certification and digital trust, just to cite these.

According to a press release from SARS, the collaboration is with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA), the Border Management Authority (BMA), and Government Printing Works (GPW), and is line with the Digital Transformation of Government Roadmap approved by the country’s cabinet late last month.

The SARS agreement with the DHA is a renewal of an existing Direct Master Agreement in place since 2010, and highlights the country’s whole-of-government approach to digital identity.

Business Tech reports that the SARS-DHA deal will also enhance the application process for smart ID cards and passports. This will be made possible by SARS helping the DHA’s integration with banking entities, creating a secure courier service for the delivery of these documents as well as introducing smart IDs to naturalized persons and people with permanent residency.

SARS Commissioner, Edward Kieswetter, commented that the agreements prove the success of a whole-of-government approach to tackling modern and sophisticated challenges that government faces.

“The opportunity to have a common platform dealing with a unique digital identity for individuals and entities will help government to ensure that there is only one identity through which the individual interacts with government,” he added.

DHA Director General, Livhuwani Makhode, praised what he called the exceptional and reliable relationship with SAR, noting that it will help deal with the several challenges which the department faces.

“Creating a smart digital platform to achieve free movement of people while ensuring that undesirable individuals are detected will be a giant leap forward. Extensive use of digitization, including the use of biometrics, is the way the department will operate,” Makhode said.

“This collaboration will accelerate initiatives such as electronic travel-permits, digitization of the naturalization process, and implementing more efficient permanent-residency protocols.”

With the BMA, SARS believes the collaboration will enhance their existing relationship and streamline the digitization process in ports of entry and for border law enforcement, including stopping the movement of illegal migrants.

The GPW, on its part, says the deal with SARS will not only reinforce its mandate as a Certification Authority and Digital Trust Centre, but will enable it “serve the role of verification and certification of digital IDs using e-government platforms to enable RSA [Republic of South Africa] citizens to access their service at a touch of a button using mobile technology.”

“This is critical as the security of government documents will be ensured and trusted.  Unquestionably, the digitization of documents not only enhances their security, but it will also assure their quality and authenticity thereby enabling a safe and hassle-free travel especially when traveling in the continent and abroad,” GPW CEO, Alinah Fosi, remarked.

Recently, South Africa announced an upgrade to its biometric verification platform to streamline access to critical public services.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  government services  |  identity verification  |  South Africa