Eswatini Government Revokes Non-Swazi IDs, Implements 3-Year-Old Act

The Eswatini government has started implementing a section of the Civil Registration Act 2023, revoking national identity documents issued to foreign citizens. The Act states that non-Swazi nationals should not possess national ID cards but instead, letters of acknowledgement. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, non-Swazi ID holders must surrender their cards by December 31, following an extension from the initial immediate deadline.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had initially announced the revocation with immediate effect but extended the period by two months after parliamentarians expressed concern at the short notice. Ministry of Home Affairs Communications Officer Mlandvo Dlamini said the ministry had been preparing to implement this part of the Act over the years since its promulgation. He cited the securing of materials for acknowledgement letters as a cause of the delay.

The revoked IDs will be replaced with letters of acknowledgement printed on secured paper to prevent fraudulent activities. Dlamini said the main reasons for revoking the IDs are to prevent cases of fraud where users utilize the IDs for business ventures outside the country, presenting themselves as Emaswati despite the expiration of their permits. The letters will state a person's particulars, reasons for being in the country, status, and validity period.

The decision is expected to prevent fraudulent activities and save the government money. Currently, national ID cards are highly subsidized by the government at about 300%. Dlamini said using letters of acknowledgement will be cost-effective, as they will be printed on paper rather than cards.

The Ministry of Home Affairs also announced that foreigners who have assumed refugee status will have their non-Swazi ID cards corrected to bear 'refugee' instead of 'non-Swazi'. This move is part of a significant policy shift regarding foreign identification, withdrawing recognition of non-Swazi identity cards as valid identification documents.

According to Dlamini, the revoked IDs cannot be recycled or reused due to their security features. The implementation of this policy aims to enhance the security and authenticity of identification documents in Eswatini.

The Eswatini government has taken a step towards aligning its identification documents with international standards and preventing identity fraud. The new policy will ensure that only valid and authorized individuals possess nationally recognized identification documents.

Key points

• The Eswatini government has set a deadline of December 31 for non-Swazi ID holders to surrender their cards.
• The revoked IDs will be replaced with letters of acknowledgement to prevent fraudulent activities.
• The policy shift aims to save the government money and prevent identity fraud.