HOME Affairs director general Mkuseli Apleni has called on the public to ignore a hoax doing the rounds on social media, which claims that the green-barcoded ID will be discontinued come 31 March 2018. According to the DG, members of the public have flooded Home Affairs offices following the hoax in a bid to comply.
“Responding with panic affects our systems negatively, thus making it very difficult for us to deliver services as expected, professionally and in the most humane of ways. Among others, our offices in the KwaZulu-Natal province can barely cope with the numbers. As you will indeed understand, these false messages are putting our offices under extreme pressure, unduly, as people rush there in their numbers to get smart ID cards,” said Apleni.
Read also: Home Affairs sets record straight on DNA testing claims
These reports, which first appeared towards the end of 2017, masquerade as a notice from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and claim that 31 March 2018 is the termination date for using the old green-barcoded ID books.
The department said the incorrect reports have resurfaced since the beginning of January 2018, circulating largely on social media.
“Our offices cannot and will not turn people away, and therefore they have to battle with long queues, with people standing in the heat, fuming. This is a situation to which we do not want to subject citizens and officials. It is in our interest that citizens should apply for and receive their secured smart ID cards,” said the department.
Do you want to receive news alerts for the Durban North and uMhlanga via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (only) to 060 532 5532.
For more news follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follows us Instagram
