Home Affairs works weekend for voters

ALL Home Affairs offices will be open between 8am and 5pm during the Voter Registration Weekend, 9-10 April.

However, from 1pm on Saturday 9 April and over the entire Sunday 10 April, only the following services will be provided:

• Applications for green bar-coded identity documents and for smart ID cards

• Collection of green bar-coded identity documents and for smart ID cards

• Temporary identity certificates

• Queries referred by the Independent Electoral Commission.

‘We appeal to the public to use this opportunity to apply for and collect their documents in an environment where there are less or no queues at all,’ said DHA District Manager, Sikhosiphi Dlamini.

Get the smart card ID

‘Again, we also ask members of the public to apply for the smart ID cards at eShowe, Empangeni and uThungulu local offices, to eliminate the fraud associated with the green bar-coded identity books.

‘This will also ensure that when the Minister of Home Affairs determines a date on which the old green books will be invalid, everyone should be in possession of the new smart ID cards and a last minute rush is avoided.

‘These cards are free to first time applicants and pensioners; the rest are charged R140.’

Dlamini added that the number of uncollected identity books and smart cards at all offices is ‘concerning and poses serious risk’.

‘They should be collected and kept safe.’