President Jacob Zuma. CC image courtesy of the World Economic Forum.
South Africa’s president Jacob Zuma received his smart ID card yesterday (Tuesday) from the Department of Home Affairs in Pretoria, the country’s capital.
Naledi Pandor, minister of home affairs, welcomed Zuma to the department’s offices in the Pretoria central business department (CBD) and explained the process of issuing the new smart ID card before he was given his own card.
After visiting the printing works where the cards are being made, Zuma named the works after the leaders of the 1956 women’s march.
Zuma said: “We are thus truly pleased that this Government Printing Works now houses important equipment named after our heroines and leaders – Sophie de Bruyn, Lillian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph and Rahima Moosa.”
By the end of the year the government hopes to have 70 offices around the country equipped to receive applications and process the cards.
Nelson Mandela, former president of South Africa, received his smart ID card on his birthday, which was collected by his daughter Zindzi Mandela.
Furthermore, prominent South Africans including archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe, Graca Machel, former presidents Thabo Mbeki and Frederik Willem de Klerk, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and struggle heros Andrew Mlangeni, Sophie de Bruyn, Dennis Goldberg and Ahmed Kathrada have received their ID cards.
