Minister Leon Schreiber announces agreement between Home Affair, and Revenue Service to digitally transform and revolutionise government services

The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber, is delighted to announce the conclusion of a groundbreaking agreement between the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority (BMA), Government Printing Works (GPW) and the South African Revenue Service (SARS) to digitally transform and revolutionise government services.

The agreement marks a new era that will fundamentally reform and improve the way that government works in the Republic of South Africa. In a reflection of all parties’ commitment to a whole-of-government approach that breaks down silos and puts the needs of the people first, the agreement was jointly signed today by SARS Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, Home Affairs Director-General Tommy Makhode, BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato, and GPW Chief Executive Officer Alinah Fosi.

In terms of the agreement, the service ecosystem composed of Home Affairs, the BMA and GPW will leverage the world-class technology capacity within SARS to revolutionise all civics and immigration services.

As a direct result of the successful conclusion of this agreement, clients can look forward to the following improvements:

• Launch of a world-class Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system to digitalise and automate immigration procedures to eliminate inefficiency and fraud;
• Integration of Home Affairs services with banking platforms to expand access to Smart ID and passport services to hundreds of bank branches as well as to banking apps;
• Creation of an option to select secure courier delivery of documents that eliminates the requirement to collect documents only at Home Affairs offices;
• Upgrading of the Movement Control System (MCS) at all ports of entry; and
• Introduction of Smart IDs for naturalised citizens and permanent residents.

Work to roll out these revolutionary improvements is now in full swing, and the Department will announce their activation on an ongoing basis. This list of reforms also represents only the most immediate priorities for the next twelve months, with many more to follow over the term of the seventh administration in pursuit of our vision to deliver “Home Affairs @ home.”

Minister Schreiber said: “It is difficult to overstate the significance of what we have jointly achieved with today’s adoption of this historic agreement. SARS is a world-class institution that must never be taken for granted, and I want to thank the Commissioner and his team for their visionary commitment to breaking down silos in the interests of South Africa. Equally, I applaud the diligent and unwavering commitment of the Home Affairs, BMA and GPW teams in embracing the power of digital transformation.”

“The beauty of this shared approach is that delivering on our vision to digitally transform Home Affairs services will yield major benefits to both us and SARS. For example, the creation of a biometrically-secured digital identity platform will enhance the ability to crack down on fraud and collect outstanding revenues, while the digitalisation and automation of immigration processes through the ETA will improve customs collection. It is our privilege to contribute in this way to fulfilling SARS’s revenue targets.”

Minister Schreiber concluded: “I have long said that SARS is an inspiration for the future we want at Home Affairs. Now, we are not only in a position to follow the same digital transformation path they have already broken - but to witness SARS and the Home Affairs ecosystem work together to redefine and revolutionise the quality of government services for all the people of South Africa.”

For media enquiries, please contact: 

Siya Qoza
Cell number: 082 898 1657

Duwayne Esau – Spokesperson for the Minister 
Cell number: 077 606 9702

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