South Africa's Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has confirmed that capture of biometric data at all international airports will be in place by July or August 2016. The implementation will follow entry pilots at arrival and transit counters in OR Tambo International Airport, King Shaka International Airport and Cape Town International Airport.Spokesperson for the DHA, Mayihlome Tshwete, told eTNW that DHA would implement biometric machines at four ports of entry every month, prioritising the ports of entry that handled the highest volume of passengers.He said biometrics were currently only being taken from international transit passengers during the busy December period at OR Tambo, as the volume of passengers was too high. Mayihlome added that by early next year, once the peak period ended, all international passengers would be submitting biometric data at OR Tambo.When the project is fully implemented, all international travellers would submit biometric data at the arrival and transit counters at SA's international airports, regardless of whether or not they needed a visa to enter SA.South Africa decided to implement biometric entry and exit systems after new visa rules that require travellers submit biometric data before arriving were blamed for a dip in tourism.

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