20 Aug 2024

Efforts to have the National Registration Act facilitate digitisation of the national registration are ongoing and to that effect, an amendment Bill is currently under debate in Parliament.

Presenting the National Registration Amendment Bill of 2024 in Parliament recently, Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Honourable Annah Mokgethi said the Bill sought to align the law to the Citizenship Amendment Bill of 2024 which provided for dual citizenship, in line with the High Court judgement which declared sections 15 (1) and (4) of the Citizenship Act inconsistent with the Constitution and therefore null and void.  

Minister Mokgethi said the Bill therefore sought to propose, as a consequence to the amendment of the Citizenship Act, to provide for recognition of dual citizens and allow for issuance of national registration to persons with dual citizenship.

Again, she said the Bill further proposed for the Act to provide for issuance of an indefinite identity card to persons aged 65 years and above, provided that the cards were not soiled and defaced.

“The provision further provides that the identity card issued in terms of the Act is a primary source of identification and where such card has been lost, damaged or has expired, a valid passport or a driver’s licence can be used as a source of identification, until such period that the identity can be replaced,” she added.

The Minister further told Parliament that the Bill also sought to among others, to have the Act provide for application for a new identity card at the nearest district registration office in instances where a person was satisfied that their personal appearance had significantly changed.

Debating the Bill, the Vice President His Honour Slumber Tsogwane, also Boteti West MP, said having presented under certificate of urgency, there was need to deal with it in earnest and must be disposed well on time for the proposed changes to be effected and timely put into action.

Molepolole South MP, Mr Kabo Morwaeng also the Minister for State President said the Bill was aimed at resolving challenges that were experienced relating to citizen registration, and therefore a welcome development and testimony that government was determined to effect the necessary changes.

For his part, Mr Pono Moatlhodi, Member of Parliament for Tonota, said it was important for a Motswana to identify themselves by a valid National Identity Card, commonly known as Omang.

Mr Moatlhodi said even though an Omang was a document of high value, used for identity and access to services, it was unfortunate that cards were piled at national registration offices uncollected. He said recently, it was reported that some 641 Omang cards were piled at Tonota office, and thus urged owners to collect them.

Kgalagadi North MP, Ms Talita Monnakgotla also assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development said her constituency was made mostly of settlements where some residents were without Omang cards or any form of identification such as passports, therefore making it difficult for them to access and enjoy government services. She however, said Omang remained the primary form of identification for a Motswana.

Leader of the Opposition and Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse said digitisation of national registration services was a welcome development. Mr Keorapetse said it was important to have data on the population of nationals and all other residents of the country.

He advised that a person who had lost their Omang should also be allowed to use other identification such as passport and license as long as such they had a receipt as proof that they had applied for a new Omang.

MP for Lerala/Maunatlala, Mr Setlhabelo Modukanele said the changes proposed by the Bill eased livelihoods as the elderly above 65 years would be issued with permanent Omang.

Mr Modukanele also the assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development suggested that the Lerala service centre be used to offer national registration services.

MP Wynter Mmolotsi of Francistown South said digitising national registration services must ensure that the used systems were water-tight and not be porous to cybercrime.

Mr Mmolotsi said the Bill also advocated for data collection relating to all people residing in the country which was important for planning purposes and guiding the development agenda.

Though welcoming proposed changes to the national registration system, Mr Mmolotsi expressed concern about congestion, long queues and slow service at offices issuing passports, Omang and licences.

Serowe West legislator, Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe said there was need for thorough assessment to determine reasons for late registration given that such would attract a penalty.

MP Sam Brooks of Kgalagadi South said some people who were staying in ranches were vulnerable to have no form of identity, therefore losing out on life time opportunities presented by government. ENDS