The Government says it will start processing e-passports at its embassy in South Africa this week, with officials from the Registrar General’s department being deployed to assist consulate staff.
This follows the setting up of the e-passport processing centre in Johannesburg.
In an interview with The Herald, Permanent Secretary for Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Raphael Faranisi, said all was in place to start the issue of e-passports in South Africa from this week. He said:
Staff from the registrar’s office will this week be travelling to our South African Embassy to train the consulate staff on how to process e-passports.
The Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ministry was doing renovations at the consulate, but it is now complete. So, this week, while training the consulate staff, they will also be issuing the e-passports.
Within two weeks, issuing e-passports would be in full swing.
The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage will officially commission the office on a date to be announced.
