Schreiber tables R11bn plan to digitise Home Affairs
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schrieber says they plan on phasing out green ID books by year-end, expanding Smart ID access through banks and home delivery, and rolling out a new Digital ID system and online visa platforms to boost tourism.
He tabled an R11 billion budget in the National Assembly on Tuesday.
The minister said he is focused on ramping up digital services and modernising the department.
Schreiber has admitted the Border Management Authority remains underfunded, with its budget only rising slightly to R1.9 billion over three years.
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Responding to the debate later, the minister said birth registrations also remained a challenge for the department.
" We must also include this issue when we talk about the challenge of undocumented people because there are undocumented South Africans in this country, and we have a huge task to make sure that we issue those enabling documents.
"That is why it is critically important that we speak responsibly about dealing with the issue of undocumented people because we don't want South Africans to be swept up in those enforcement operations."
The ANC and DA have supported the budget vote, while the EFF and MK Party rejected it.
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