Pretoria:Home Affairs is set to introduce a biometric online platform aimed at expediting asylum applications, enhancing identity verification, and preventing repeated claims by rejected applicants to delay deportation.
According to South African Government News Agency, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced that the platform is expected to be operational by 10 November 2026. It is designed to address inefficiencies in the asylum system and strengthen immigration law enforcement. Schreiber highlighted the department's previous success with technology, such as the Electronic Travel Authorisation system, as a foundation for these reforms.
The new platform will require asylum seekers to submit biometric data, allowing Home Affairs to verify identities and check for previously rejected applications. It will also authenticate passports and travel documents and identify any recorded infringements by applicants. Schreiber emphasized that these measures aim to streamline the application process and prevent abuse of the asylum system.
Minister Schreiber clarified that the Constitutional Court's judgment on 7 July 2026 was concerned with procedural aspects of asylum processing and did not grant refugee status or citizenship to any foreign nationals. The government will seek further guidance from the Constitutional Court to implement its judgment effectively.
The digital system is being developed as Home Affairs deals with a significant backlog of roughly 120,000 asylum appeals, although the exact figure is pending confirmation. The department has reduced this backlog by about 20% in the past year. Despite achieving a 30-day turnaround for initial applications, delays persist during the appeals process. To address this, 74 advocates have been added to bolster the department's capacity to process appeals, a significant increase from the initial team of nine.
In addition to technological upgrades, the government plans to seek a supervisory order from the Constitutional Court to address ongoing challenges within Home Affairs. The proposed platform will help determine the volume of asylum applications, enabling better planning for staffing and processing needs. A hearing is scheduled for 29 October 2026 before the Gauteng Division of the High Court to address conflicting judgments on asylum seekers.
The reforms aim to enhance the efficiency of the asylum system while ensuring compliance with legal requirements, including the deportation of applicants whose claims have been rejected.
