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.
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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