Smart ID and passport services restored at Home Affairs after power outage at Pretoria office

Home Affairs said that services have been restored across the country after a power outage in its Pretoria office had disrupted the issuing of smart IDs and passports

The Home Affairs Department said its Pretoria office was plunged into darkness on Tuesday, which affected all live capture applications, including smart ID cards and passports.

These documents cannot be issued without first being cleared in this Pretoria office, which left applicants across South Africa frustrated.

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Spokesperson for the Minister of Home Affairs, Siya Qoza, confirmed that power has been restored.

“It’s all systems go at Home Affairs offices as power is restored at the department’s back office in Pretoria. Citizens can visit offices from today – Wednesday, 14 September – for all Home Affairs services, including smart ID cards and passports,” Qoza said.

“Power was restored early this morning, with technicians confirming it is all systems go after working around the clock overnight to fix the problem speedily.”

The department apologised for the glitch and thanked citizens for their patience and understanding.

ZEP legal battle

Meanwhile, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has dismissed claims that his department has “run out of money” as the Zimbabwean Exemption Permits (ZEPs) legal battle rumbles on.

Motsoaledi briefed Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs on Tuesday, where he confirmed that the Department of Home Affairs was seeking to have the court case over the non-renewal of the ZEP moved to a different date in light of the new deadline extension by six months.

The matter is due in court on 6 October.

“What has happened is that we have written to the Pretoria High Court in view of this extension that I have made… Certain papers have been required from us, new affidavits need to be written. And we believed that the dates that have been agreed upon will no longer be possible,” he told the committee on Tuesday morning.

Additional reporting by Molefe Seeletsa

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