South Africans to get a new passport in April

South Africans will have a new passport—with undisclosed security features built into it—next month.

Revealing this at a media briefing on Thursday, Safety and Security Minister Nathi Mthethwa said that the passport will have “highly complex security features”.

Minister of Home affairs Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula declined to say what the features were, adding that even she did not know.

However, Justice Minister Enver Surty at the same briefing said that Cabinet had been briefed about the security features, a revelation that prompted Mapisa-Nqakula to say yes, she knew about the watermarks and other things, but not all the features.

She said the new passports will be issued only as extant passports expire.

Mthethwa also told reporters that the anti-corruption unit in the Department Home Affairs is continuing to work with the police and National Intelligence Agency to identify individuals involved in corruption and fraud within the department.

“During the 2008/09 financial year, 66 home affairs officials were arrested,” he said, “and a further 18 suspended on allegations of fraud.”

South African visitors to Britain have had to be in possession of a visa from Tuesday of this week because of British concerns over the security of South African passports.—I-Net Bridge