From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report. To coincide with International Nelson Mandela Day, celebrated each year on the former Statesman’s birthday, Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor officially launched the new identification smart cards at a ceremony at the Union Buildings, in Pretoria on July 18. Natalie Greve was there to find out more.

Natalie Greve:
Senior members of government and several prominent players in South Africa’s political history were issued with their new ID cards, including former President Mandela, whose daughter Zinzi Mandela accepted the card on her ailing father’s behalf.

Following the capturing of their biometrics data earlier this year, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, former President Thabo Mbeki, women’s rights activist Sophie du Bruyn and Rivonia trialist Ahmed Kathrada also received their new ID cards at the launch ceremony.

Pandor said that the launch of the card coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Rivonia Trial, and was an effort by government to consolidate efforts that had started in 1994 to restore the national identity, citizenship and dignity of South Africans.

Home Affairs Minister Naledi Pandor

Natalie Greve:
The new card would offer increased security, as its physical and safety features made it almost impenetrable. Security features on the card body included holograms and laser engraving of personal details, which would enable visual verification of the card and the easy identification of tampered cards.
Fingerprint biometrics and biographic data would also be embedded on the 80-kilobyte card chip.

Motlanthe said at the event that the introduction of the smart ID was symbolic of South Africa’s development as a democracy.

Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe

Natalie Greve:
Other political veterans to be issued with cards on Thursday, in absentia, included former President FW de Klerk, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Mandela’s wife Graca Machel, and struggle veterans Winnie Madikizela Mandela, Andrew Mlangeni and Dennis Goldberg.

Shannon de Ryhove:
Other news making headlines this week: Lectures at the new Mpumalanga and Northern Cape universities are set to begin next year.

President Jacob Zuma recently announced that a modest group of 290 students would start lectures for start-up programmes at two new universities next year. Zuma announced the names of the new universities as Sol Plaatje University, in the Northern Cape, and the University of Mpumalanga.

President Jacob Zuma

That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.