NATIONAL COUNCIL OF PROVINCES
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION 93
DATE OF PUBLICATION: Friday, 12 March 2010
INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 5 of 2010
Mr M J R de Villiers (DA-WC) to ask the Minister of Home Affairs:
(1) (a) How many identity documents (IDs) are not collected at each of
the Home Affairs offices and (b) what is the main reason for these
documents not being collected;
2) whether her Department has taken any steps to ensure that persons are
properly informed to collect their IDs; if not, why not; if so, (a)
what steps and (b) what are the further relevant details?
CW120E
REPLY
(1)(a) The information as at 28 February 2010 per Province â is
specified in the tables, below:
|Province |less than |3 - 6 |6 - 9 |9 - 12 |More |Total |
| |3 months |months |months |months |than 12| |
| | | | | |months | |
|Kwa-Zulu |47,945 |20,727 |18,707 |12,869 |35,546 |135,794|
|Natal | | | | | | |
|Limpopo |24,617 |12,033 |14,994 |9,519 |21,054 |82,217 |
|Gauteng |37,317 |15,214 |16,986 |12,811 |25,238 |107,566|
|Free State |12,997 |8,298 |6,820 |7,361 |10,799 |46,275 |
|Mpumalanga |16,014 |7,702 |7,929 |4,947 |12,022 |48,614 |
|North West |12,464 |6,045 |5,251 |2,545 |4,879 |31,184 |
|Northern |4,247 |2,428 |2,130 |1,086 |1,764 |11,655 |
|Cape | | | | | | |
|Western Cape|23,220 |9,556 |5,206 |5,851 |11,421 |55,254 |
|Eastern Cape|27,409 |14,336 |19,934 |15,366 |22,765 |99,810 |
|Total |206,230 |96,339 |97,957 |72,355 |145,488|618,369|
Lists of uncollected identity documents, per Province, per office, for the
period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010, are attached herewith, as Annexures A
to I.
(1)(b) The main reasons for applicants not collecting their new
identity documents are, as follows:
⢠Applicants are applying for identity documents when under the
impression that they have lost their identity documents, only to
find it at a later stage. Many applicants, therefore, never
collect their newly issued identity documents. The identity
document with the latest date of issue is the only valid identity
document, which replaces all previous identity documents issued.
⢠Applicants also re-locate, and never collect their newly issued
identity documents, at the office of application.
(2)(a) The following steps have been taken:
⢠Since the implementation of the ID Track and Trace system in 2007,
short messages (âsmsâ) are automatically triggered to the cell
phones of applicants to inform them of the arrival of their
identity documents, at the office of application. Two subsequent
SMSâs are sent to applicants (one after 60 days, and the other
after 110 days), as reminders before returning the identity
documents to Head Office, as uncollected.
⢠It should be noted that the turnaround time for the issuing of
identity documents has been drastically reduced, and applicants,
who are not in possession of cell phones may enquire at the
departmentâs Client Service Centre (toll free number 0800 60 11
90), after a month from the date of application. Clients can,
also, use the enquiry SMS no (32551) to check, and get feedback on
the status of their ID applications.
(2)(b) The Department, also, interacts with various community forums,
and other stakeholders to encourage applicants to collect their
identity documents. The department, also, engages with the
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), through the Provincial
Liaison Committees to encourage Political Office Bearers to
request communities to collect their identity documents.