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21 April 2009

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) offices will open for extended hours on Election Day to assist voters who need to collect identity documents (IDs).

Tomorrow, 22 April 2009, Home Affairs offices across the country will be open between 07h00 and 21h00 to assist those who need to collect documents for voting purposes.

During the past month home affairs has produced over 200 000 identity documents.

Clients can track the status of ID applications using one of the following channels:
* Call the Home Affairs contact centre on 0800 60 11 90.
* Sms the letters 'ID' followed by their ID number to 32551.
* Visit the department's website at http://www.dha.gov.za.

If a holder of a green bar-coded ID has lost their document, they can apply for both the ID document and temporary identity certificate (TIC) at any Home Affairs office during working hours in the run up to elections or on Election Day.

The new Online Fingerprint Verification System allows Home Affairs front line staff to approve applications for a re-issue of an ID on the spot. The TIC may be used by registered voters as a form of identification at the polls.

For more information please contact:

Siobhan McCarthy
Chief Director: Communications
Tel: 012 810 7338
Cell: 082 886 6708
E-mail: Siobhan.mccarthy@dha.gov.za

Joseph Mohajane
Acting Director: Media relations
Tel: 012 810 6315
Cell: 082 909 3543
E-mail: joseph.mohajane@dha.gov.za

Thabo Mokgola
Media relations
Tel: 012 810 7242
Fax: 012 810 7032
Cell: 082 902 8414
E-mail: thabo.mokgola@dha.gov.za

Issued by: Department of Home Affairs
21 April 2009