Unclaimed IDs pile up at Home Affairs
Home Affairs says there are currently nearly 200 000 uncollected smart identity cards at its branches in the country.
It says it also has 75 000 green ID books and 51 000 passports which need to be collected.
The department, which is currently undergoing a series of upgrades to their Live Capture system, has urged those who've received notifications to collect their documents to do so at the office where they applied before Friday to avoid identity fraud.
The Department's Director-General Mkuseli Apleni says due to the upgrades, staff will not be able to process IDs and passports until December 2.
He says the upgrades will boast a series of new services all in an effort of creating a paperless environment.
''Enhancement includes introducing a booking system on the internet for people to apply for documents online. An enrolment process will be in place in terms of which there would be no need to recapture fingerprints within a specified period of reapplication.
''It will allow our clients to pay using their debit cards or credit cards,'' he said.
Apleni says other services including birth, death and marriage certificates will be available. Full services are expected to resume on December 3.
(File photo: Gallo Images)