The Department of Home Affairs is extending its operating hours from 08:00 to 19:00, starting on Thursday.
This is to accommodate the high volumes and increasing demand for services during this time of year, says department spokesperson Siya Qoza.
“We are doing this to try and to assist people who may want to come in to apply or either birth certificates or smart ID cards,” says Qoza.
He adds that the Department is concerned about the number of uncollected smart IDs.
“We have seen a high number of uncollected smart ID cards. On average those number around 4 000, so we are hoping that people who have already applied for smart cards will come in to collect these cards,”
furthermorw, the department also urged people to arrive as early as possible at their branches to avoid the rush and long queues.