Gemalto elected for national eID card program in South Africa
07 June, 2013
category: Biometrics, Contactless, Government, Smart Cards
Gemalto announced it will supply Government Printing Works (GPW) with the Sealys electronic smart card-based identification solution for a national identity program in South Africa.
GPW will leverage Gemalto’s secure embedded software to protect the holder’s image and biometric data within the secure identity e-document. Moreover, GPW selected the Sealys document fitted with the contactless feature, ensuring added levels of convenience with unrivaled security for citizens.
According to recent figures, ID theft is escalating and the consequential costs to national economies following suit. Constructed with an advanced and highly durable polycarbonate, Gemalto’s ID fully-compliant smart card-based solution will replace South Africa’s traditional, paper-based “green book” identity documentation.
The new Sealys electronic identification card will be offered by the Department for Home Affairs to citizens aged 16 and over. The South African eGovernment initiative aims to improve confidence in official identity credentials and to prepare for the deployment of a comprehensive suite of efficient and convenient eGovernment services.
Furthermore, the Sealy eID supports public key infrastructure and match-on-card authentication techniques to enable easy verification of authenticity and a future-proof platform capable of providing a broad range of secure online services such as online and in-person authentication as well as legally binding digital signatures.
Gemalto is also contributing to 15 national eID programs in Europe (Belgium, Czech Republic, Finland, Sweden, Portugal, Lithuania), in the Middle East (Qatar, Oman, UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia) and in other areas.
