The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has called for public comment on a new draft official identity management policy which aims to introduce a new ID system in South Africa.
Please have your say below.
1566 participants (closed 28 February 2021)
[CLOSED] Have your say – shape this draft policy.
SUMMARY
To address these and other problems, the DHA’s draft identity management policy makes the following recommendations:
- ID numbers based on parents – The identity number of a child must be processed on the basis of biographic information and linked to their parents’ identity numbers and mother’s biometric data.
- Recognition of other sex/gender categories – The new legislation and population register must make a provision that enables the establishment of a category that is neither male nor female.
- Random unique identity number – Another option is to issue a random unique identity number that is not linked to or founded on a person’s sex/gender, date of birth, place of birth or any other marker.
- Records of persons throughout their lifespan – Every birth that takes place in the country must be registered. If possible, the biometrics of children must be captured at birth. Where impossible, the biometrics of a parent must be linked to the birth certificate of a child.
- Re-registration – Children must be reregistered when they reach age five with ten fingerprints and iris and facial photographs. A combination of different biometric data for children should be considered with options such as the photograph of the ear.
IN THE MEDIA
- DearSA – Government wants to track you from cradle to grave
- MyBroadband – New ID number for South Africa planned
- Business Insider – To foil ID theft, govt wants to ‘reregister’ every SA child when they turn five