The Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba, will tomorrow, Tuesday, 15 December 2015, launch the Transit Visa Biometrics System aimed at recording the movement of transit travellers on the Department’s enhanced Movement Control System (eMCS).

The successful implementation of the biometric solution at Ports of Entry will provide for a mechanism that mitigates against the requirements to uphold transit visas. The objective is to capture the biometrics for all travellers upon arrival and departure from the country at all ports of entry. In this context, to protect our national security, the Transit Visa Biometrics System will uniquely identify individuals and confirm identity of travellers with certainty, efficiency and security.

Immigration officers will demonstrate how the system operates while processing transit travellers at the airport.

Members of the media are invited as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Venue: OR Tambo International Airport, Media Center 

Time: 10h00

NB: Members of the media are advised to arrive at 09h30 and bring along copies of their IDs as well as original IDs to be certified at the airport police station. Accreditation is a requirement as the transit area of the OR Tambo International Airport is a security key-point.

For media enquiries kindly contact Thabo Mokgola on 0609624982 or Mayihlome Tshwete

ISSUED BY DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS