Zuko Komisa
- President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced the creation of an Intelligent Population Register using biometric data to modernise identity management.
- The government will retire the traditional green barcoded identity book to combat rampant identity fraud and criminal exploitation.
- New transport regulations will be introduced within three months to stop foreign nationals using Traffic Registration Numbers as alternative identification.
The South African government is set to establish an Intelligent Population Register containing biometric data for every individual in the country.
The initiative forms the core of a newly adopted Comprehensive Approach for Migration Management, aimed at modernising identity management and closing loopholes exploited by undocumented migrants.
Addressing the nation on Sunday evening, President Cyril Ramaphosa detailed plans to transition towards a secure Digital ID system.
As part of this overhaul, the Department of Home Affairs will progressively phase out the traditional green barcoded identity book, which has long been vulnerable to tampering by criminal syndicates.
Announcing the flagship digital reform, President Ramaphosa stated:
“We are establishing an Intelligent Population Register that contains biometric data for every person in the country, laying the foundation for a Digital ID.”
The strategy also targets the misuse of Traffic Registration Numbers (TRNs), which are intended solely for vehicle purchases and registration by foreign nationals but are frequently abused as a substitute form of official identification.
The Department of Transport has been tasked with issuing restrictive new regulations within the next three months to realign vehicle ownership with national identification laws.
In his weekly newsletter on Monday, the President acknowledged public anxieties regarding the pressure of undocumented migration on jobs, public services, and the economy, writing:
“We are responding to real concerns that communities have about the effects that unchecked illegal immigration has on jobs and economic opportunities.”
However, Ramaphosa cautioned against vigilantism and intolerance, reminding citizens that the overwhelming majority of foreign nationals are law-abiding.
He stressed that immigration enforcement remains strictly the duty of authorised state officials, and reassured the public that all new security measures will strictly uphold the rule of law and human dignity.
READ NEXT: First 150 Malawians fleeing SA protests begin voluntary repatriation
