Big travel changes coming for South Africa – including a new ID system
The Department of Home Affairs is working on a number of new technologies which it says will help speed up travel times.
In its recently tabled annual performance plan for 2022/2023, the department said this will include the introduction of new biometric solutions at both the country’s airports and land borders.
The country is also introducing new visas and an e-gate systems which are expected to cut down on processing time.
Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS)
The department is in the process of developing a Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) which will enable the capturing of fingerprint and facial biometric data of all travellers who enter or exit South Africa.
This will be built onto the existing live capture platform and be rolled out at 34 ports of entry across the country, it said.
While the list of identified ports of entry is subject to change, the system is expected to roll out at the major airport and land borders including:
- OR Tambo International Airport;
- Cape Town International Airport;
- King Shaka International Airport;
- Lanseria International Airport;
- Beit Bridge;
- Lebombo (including KM 7 and 4);
- Maseru Bridge;
- Ficksburg;
- Oshoek;
- Kopfontein;
- Caledonspoort;
- Ramatlabama.
