Africa-Press – Namibia. The executive director of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, Etienne Maritz, said they have a high number of uncollected identity documents that the public applied for, but never collected.
In a statement, Maritz said during the 2021/2022 financial year, the ministry produced a total of 114 354 ID cards, of which only 61 455 were collected.
“That means a total of 52 899 ID cards are still uncollected and are piling up at our offices. It is against this background that the ministry is humbly calling upon those who have applied for identity documents to come and collect their IDs,” he said.
Maritz said by law all citizens and permanent residents must apply for an ID when they turn 16, or immediately after someone’s citizenship or permanent residence permit has been granted.
“Your identity is your greatest asset, and you must at all times keep your birth certificate and your ID card in a safe and secure place,” he said.
“The ministry is experiencing a rise in identity theft, partly because birth certificates and IDs are not kept safe,” he added.
IMPROVED SERVICES
Maritz said the ministry, has partnered with MTC and re-introduced the SMS notification service for ID application services.
“Applicants for IDs will henceforth receive an SMS on their mobile phone saying their application has been approved and printed, and when the ID is ready for collection,” he said.
Maritz said this will save applicants time and decongest the offices, since applicants will no longer need to visit their offices to enquire about their application status.
“Applicants will receive an SMS that will inform them when their ID cards will be ready for collection, at the regional office that they chose.
Maritz said the public should take note that providing the ministry with false information and sharing of certificates or IDs is a criminal offence.
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