South Africa using biometrics to verify immigration status during raids

The South African government is incorporating biometric verification as part of efforts to control the numbers of undocumented people.

The country’s Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, has launched what it calls Operation New Broom, which will “arrest, convict and deport illegal immigrants occupying public spaces,” according to the announcement.

The first operation in what will be an ongoing campaign has already taken place, with 25 “suspects” arrested in District 6 in Cape Town with these individuals “occupying” land meant for restitution to the victims of forced removals, according to a statement issued by the Ministry.

Operation New Broom uses biometrics to verify the immigration status of those detained. The ministry claims this eliminates the risk of fraudulent documents and builds stronger legal cases. Schreiber commented: “The benefits of our commitment to digital transformation are being felt across all areas of Home Affairs’ mandate, including through the strides made by the Border Management Authority at the borders and by Home Affairs inland.”

A fully digital Home Affairs department is a central point in the implementation of an effective digital government strategy in South Africa, which Schreiber outlined in a digital transformation presentation late last year.

Home Affairs officials conducting arrests say that biometric checks, including fingerprint and face scans, will be used on-site during raids, according to reporting by IOL. The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) say similar operations will be carried out in Johannesburg, Dalton and other major metropolitan areas in the coming weeks.

The Public Servants Association (PSA) has sounded a warning over the issue of privacy and data security in the implementation of biometric verification used by the DHA.

In a statement, the association said it is essential to ensure robust data-protection measures are in place to safeguard personal information, and that the success of Operation New Broom depends on adequate funding and resources. It drew attention particularly to “adequate human capital” and noted staff shortages at the DHA.

In March, the DHA announced a “comprehensive upgrade” to the system central to the country’s national security architecture. This system facilitates face and fingerprint biometric verification for people seeking services ranging from the National Treasury to the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA), and institutions in the financial sector.

Authorities said the upgrade means that such biometric verification will now be faster, more secure and accurate as tests conducted by the DHA showed an error rate of well below one percent.

As part of measures to maintain the upgraded system, Schreiber directed a readjustment of fees for some users of the verification platform. Private sector companies using the Home Affairs’ digital verification service will have seen an increase in fees, the first in over a decade, since April 1. Public sector users shouldn’t have seen any change.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometric identification  |  biometrics  |  digital government  |  identity verification  |  immigration  |  South Africa