• President Cyril Ramaphosa outlined the digital changes coming to Home Affairs in the next 12 months in his SONA on Thursday evening.
• This includes the beginning of a digital ID strategy, a method to automate evisas for tourists and way to boost tourism from China.
• The changes come as part of a 5-year plan to completely digitise Home Affairs.

Amid Home Affairs’ alleged impending widespread digitalisation, its Minister Leon Schreiber has outlined changes to the entity that will be set in motion within the next 12 months.

Schreiber was remarking on President’s Cyril Ramaphosa State of the Nation Address (SONA) especially sections about “the progress, reform, and digital transformation agenda at the Department of Home Affairs.”

“Our five-year vision to deliver Home Affairs @ home, as announced in September last year, is built entirely around the digitalisation and automation of all services and processes, in alignment with the President’s announcement,” said the minister in a statement.

Schreiber highlighted Ramaphosa’s announcement about Home Affairs during the address, including dealing with the long-standing backlog at the department as well as incoming changes that are planned for the next 12 months.

These include the building of the “first components of digital ID” which is slated to deal with the scourge of identity fraud and to provide access to all citizens “at a touch.”

Also incoming is the launch of a modern “Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA)” system. Schreiber says system is “driven by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning – to automate tourist and short-stay visas.”

Finally, the implementation of the Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) in the hopes of boosting tourism from markets like China and India.

“I am grateful for the President’s support for our digital transformation agenda. We have already hit the ground running, and the President’s SONA announcements will help us to further accelerate our implementation of these game-changing reforms,” said the minister.

While no specific timeline has been set for each of the above implementations, if managed in the next 12 months they could actually be a sign that Home Affairs is turning the ship. However that will have to wait to be seen.

Home Affairs announced this week that it has been surpassing its targets for Smart ID issuances to South Africans since the latter half of 2024 and is now claiming to be in line with issuing 3.6 million ID cards to citizens before the end of 2025 – if accomplished, a feat it says will be “record breaking.”