Government ID, Smart Cards, Identification and Authentication

South Africa stalls smart ID project

Friday, March 5, 2010

South Africa is putting on hold indefinitely its smart card ID project, according to itweb.co.za.

Home Affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma stated that her department has run out of money after reallocating R114 million meant for the project to “other things,” ITWeb reports.

According to Dlamini-Zuma, the project will be stalled at least until the next financial year, at which time the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) will put a bid for more funding.

The smart cards were originally intended to replace the old national ID cards and provide new services such as the payment of pensions and social grants.

Despite the setback, Dlamini-Zuma says that the DHA is “still pursuing the project.”

Read more here. [end] 

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