CIVIL REGISTRATION IN SOUTH AFRICA
V S MKHIZE
DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRIVA
05 December 2014
1
Table of Contents
1. Purpose
2. Background
3. Map of South Africa
4. Life cycle
5. Legislative framework for birth
6. Birth registration processes
7. Legislative framework for marriages
8. Marriage processes
9. Legislative framework for death
10.Death registration processes
11.Information Repository
12.Challenges and Mitigation strategies
13.Incentives and sanctions
2
Purpose
To share with the delegation on the processes
and strategies for improving civil registration in
South Africa.
3
Background
 A secured SA citizenship and Identity is a priority outcome for the
Department of Home Affairs
 An improved Civil Registration (CR) provides evidence based
(reliable data) policy decision and thus enhances efficient allocation
of resources
 DHA has legislation and programs pertaining to CR, and has
coordinated actions and integration with other departments &
systems meant to improve CR.
 The departmental public awareness campaigns/programs &
stakeholders (which undo remote geographical barriers) continue to
provide positive results
to socio-cultural beliefs about CR
(emphasis on Rural and Farm areas).
4
5
CR structure
National Department of Home Affairs (Policy,
Legislation/Regulations/SOP, Strategy, Records
Man, M&E
Coordination
9 provinces
Oversight role
Quality service
delivery
DISTRICTS AND LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRATION OFFICES
6
This presentation entails processes relating to
the following Civil Registration matters:
7
Legislative framework for birth
 The Constitution (Act 108 of 1996)(Sect 20) – No citizen may be deprived of a
citizenship
 Birth and Death Registration Amendment Act, 2010 (Act No 18 of 2010)
regulates the registration of births and deaths
 further regulate the amendments & rectification of particulars of persons
 Notice of Birth: A person having charge (parents or legal guardian) of the
child shall, within 30 days after the birth of such child, give notice thereof in
the prescribed manner.
8
The new Birth Registration process (BRP 001)
Client
START
1.
Child is born /
immunised
Medical
Practitioner /
Registered
Nurse
2.
Complete and
issue a
Confirmation of
Birth
Front Office
Clerk
4.
Verify parent s’
supporting documents
& using Online
Verification
5
Are fingers on
Hanis
Yes
8.
Print out Online
Verification
confirmation and
attach to DHA-24
No
3.
Complete DHA 24
6.
Complete details of
applicant on DHA24A /Give advice
about DHA-9
7.
Take full set of finger
prints on DHA-24A
for record purpose
9.
Verify particulars of parents
on NPR
10.
Capture/ Register the Birth
on NPR (allocate ID no.)
23
Receive
Unabridged Birth
Certificate
11.
Print Unabridged
Birth Certificate
22
Issue
Unabridged Birth
Certificate to
client
BRP 002
Node 12
BRP 002
Node 14
END
9
The new Birth Registration process (BRP 002)
Front Office
Supervisor / Senior Clerk
BRP 001
Node 11
12.
Conduct QA –
Verify particulars
on Certificate with
DHA-24
16.
Communicate with
official at HO
Place message on
function 035
13
NPR entry
correct ?
14.
Sign and stamp
Abridged Birth
Certificate
15
NPR entry
incorrect ?
24
Register, dispatch DHA-24 on Track
& Trace System ,prepare list send
for BVR
17.
Phone Birth
Section (Waltloo)
and request
correction
21
Re-print the
Abridged
Certificate
18.
Fax DHA-24 to
Birth section at
Head Office
BVR
Courier
25.
Courier forms to
Head Office
(BVR)
H/O BVR
Postal Receipt
26.
Receive forms at
Head Office
(BVR)
H/O BVR
EDMS
SECTION
H/O BIRTH
SECTION
27
Archival section
(EDMS) capture
on template
28
Place all
recorded DHA-24
batches on
shelves
29
Check &Place
recorded DHA-24
batches on
numbered shelves
END
19.
Birth Section Head
Office receives
fax,corrects error
20.
Notify Office of
Origin about
rectification
10
Registration of Birth at Foreign Missions Abroad (SA Citizens) (BRP 001)
Parent at
Foreign
Mission
Missions
H/O New Cooperation
H/O Citizenship
Section
Foreign Unit
H/O
EDMS/Template
START
1.Parent
completes DHA24 & DHA-529 at
foreign Mission to
register birth of the
child
2. Does
application
comply with
regulations?
4.
Receive Diplomatic
Bag & Dispatch
5.
6.
Receive Notice of
Birth & Supporting
documents at
Foreign Unit
Verify citizenship
status of the
applicant’s
parents
7.
9.
Verify Informant
particulars on NPR
2(a).
Application does
not comply to
regulations
3.
Does Notice of
Birth comply?
10.
7(a)
Capture on NPR
and allocate ID
number
Obtain supporting
documents to
ensure
compliance
Dispatch to Head
Office SA via
Diplomatic Bag
15.
13
Receive Birth
Certificate &
inform client to
come & collect
11.
12
Receive Birth
Certificate &
inform client to
come & collect
Issue Unabridged
birth certificate &
post to the foreign
Mission
8.
14.
Separate Births
Determine
Citizenship
Sort & archive
registration forms
END
11
Legislative framework for marriages
 Marriage Act No. 25 of 1961 - Makes provision for the solemnisation of
civil marriages
Civil Marriages can only be solemnized by duly designated marriage officers

Recognition of Customary marriages Act, 1998 (Act No 120 of 1998)
Makes provision for, regulate and specifies the requirements for a valid
customary marriage
Required marriage age – 18 years
customarily
Customary marriage negotiated entered
 If one of the couple is non-south African in possession of a passport and or
permit, refer the couple to Immigration - Letter of no impediment - Declaration or
affidavit in the case of Refugees or Asylum Seekers
12
Registration of a civil marriage and a civil union marriage between two South
African citizens who are in possession of South African identity documents
Client (2 SA
citizens)
Marriage Officer
(MO)
DO / RO
(Back Office)
START
1.
Provide identity
documents to
marriage officer
2.
Check for
compliance
3.
Marriage officer to solemnise
marriage
8.
Verify against
database for
marriage officers
*Legal
Documents:
- ID’s
-DHA-30
-DHA-27
5.
Issue DHA-27
and copy of
DHA-30 to client
7.
Submit all
documents to
Home Affairs
12.
Receive enquiry
and submit
correct details
Is DHA30
correct?
18.
Receive all
incoming work in
office
19.
Sort into error
codes and those
with printouts
Yes
Can it
be
rectified
Error
codes
13.
Capture
marriage on
NPR and attach
printout of F062
to form
Yes
No
14.
Scan
documents
(T&T)
No
Yes
20.
Archive paper
documents on
template
No
11.
Send to
correspondence
section
16.
Receive marriage
registers T & T &
count for stats
17.
Dispatch to
Marriages
10.
. Verify record for
completeness
and correctness
4.
Complete
marriage register
6.
Receive
marriage
certificate & copy
of DHA-30
9.
Mark DHA-30 off
on MO-file, place
a copy on file
HO Dir PR
BMD
HO Dir PR
Post Can.
22.
Capture
marriage on
NPR
END
21.
File bundles in shelf
in section
END
15.
Courier records
To Head Office
13
Solemnization and Registration of a civil marriage or civil union marriage between a
South African citizen who is in possession of an identity document and the other party is
not in possession of a SA identity number or is a foreign national
Marriage Officer
Customer
START
3.
Check all
documents
for
correctness
and
compliance
1.
SA citizen
wishes to
marry a
foreigner or
a SA not in
possession
of SA ID
2.
Provide
legally
required
documents*
together
with 2
photographs
to marriage
officer.
4.
Marriage
officer
completes
DHA-30 and
takes
fingerprints
of couple
5.
Marriage
officer
conducts
marriage.
Issue DHA27 and copy
of DHA-30
to customer
6.
Receive DHA 27 and COPY
OF DHA-30
7.
Submit all
Documents to
Office under
which
He/she
resorts
DO / RO
(Back Office)
8.
Verify against
database for
marriage
officers
14.
Scan
documents
(T&T)
16.
Receive
marriage
registers T & T
& count for stats
9.
Mark
DHA-30 off on
MO-file, place a
copy on file
15.
Courier
records To
Head Office
17.
Dispatch to
Marriages
Yes
No
11.
Send to
correspondence
section
18.
Receive all
incoming work in
office
Error
codes
10.
. Verify record
for
completeness
and correctness
Is
DHA30
correct
?
12.
MO receives
enquiry and
rectifies
HO Dir PR
BMD
HO Dir PR
Post Can.
No
20.
Archive paper
documents on
template
13.
Capture
marriage on
NPR and attach
printout of F062
to form
Yes
19.
Sort into error
codes and those
with printouts
Can it
be
rectified
No
Yes
22.
Capture
marriage on
NPR
END
21.
File bundles in
shelf in section
END
23.
Send to
correspondence
section
END
14
Solemnization and Registration of a civil marriage and civil union marriage between two
persons of whom neither is in possession of identity documents issued in terms of the
Identification Act, 1997 (mostly foreign nationals)
Customer
START
1.
Two SA citizen
not in
possession of
identity
documents or
two foreign
nationals
wishes to
marry
2.
Provide legally
required
documents*
together with
photographs to
marriage
officer
Marriage Officer
3.
Check all
documents
for
correctness
and
compliance
7.
Submit all
Documents
to
Office under
which
He/she
resorts
4.
Complete
DHA-30 &
takes
fingerprints of
couple Attach
photos to
register
END
HO Dir PR
Post Can.
8.
Mark DHA30
off on MO-file
Place 2nd copy
on file
16.
Receive and
scan
documents in
on T&T
9.
Do physical
Paper check on
registers
received
17.
Count for
Stats and send
To Marriages
Yes
10.
Is DHA30
correct?
5.
Conduct
marriage, issue
DHA-27 and
copy of DHA30 to customer
6.
Receive DHA
-27 and COPY
OF DHA-30
DO / RO
(Back Office)
12
Return enquiry to
Marriage Officer
Sort
Registers
19.
Template
records with
“R” and file in
shelves
14.
T&T register to
Head Office
END
No
13.
MO receives
enquiry and
rectifies
HO Dir PR
Marriages
15
Couriers
Documents to
Head Office
*Legally required
Documents:
-DHA-30 / DHA-31
-Passports
15
Registration of a civil marriage and a civil union marriage between two South African
Marriage
Registration
citizens
who are
in possession of Process
South African identity documents
Client (2 SA
citizens)
1. Provide identity
documents to
marriage officer
Marriage
Officer (MO)
2. Check for
compliance
DO / RO
(back office)
8 . Verify against
database for
marriage officers
14. Scan
documents
&T)
HO Dir PR
Post Can.
16. Receive
marriage
registersT & T &
count for stats
HO Dir PR
BMD
18.. Receive iall
incoming work in
office
22. Rectify error
code
START
Yes
3. Marriage officer to solemnise
marriage
4.Complete
marriage register
6. Receive
marriage
certificate & copy
of DHA-30
5. Issue DHA-27
and copy of DHA30 to client
9. Mark
DHA-30 off on
MO-file, place a
copy on file
*Legal
Documents:
- Identity
Documents
-DHA-30
-DHA-27
13. Receive
enquiry and
submit correct
details
17. Dispatch to
11. Send
Marriages
documentation to
H/O via Courier
10. Verify record
for completeness
and correctness
19.Sort into error
codes and those
with printouts
Error
codes
Is DHA30
correct?
12. Send to
correspondence
section
23. Capture
marriage on
NPR
Yes
No
Yes
No
7 Submit all
documents to
Home Affairs
15. Courier
records
To Head Office
Error
code can
not be
rectified
20. Archive
paper
documents
on template
11. Capture
marriage on
NPR
21
File bundles in
shelf in section
H/O = Head Office
3rd P = External party
END
DO and RO =
District & Regional Office
11
16
Legislative framework for death
 Give notice of death (DHA-1663)- form completed by the medical
practitioner as confirmation that a person has died (sealed area on
causes of death- only for statistical purposes).
 Death Report (DHA-1680) completed by Traditional Leader.
 Verify particulars of deceased on NPR
 Accompanying documents – copy of identity document of the
deceased, copy of identity document of the informant and
appointment letter of the funeral undertaker.
 Capture death on NPR & forward 1663 forms to Stats SA (causes of
death)
17
The New Death Registration Process with DHA-1663
Client/
Informant
START
Doctor/
Undertaker/
Informant
1.
Person dies &
Doctor certifies
death
2.
Doctor fills sec
A,B or C, D, & G
of DHA-1663
END
18.
Hand Over
Abridged Death
Certificate or
Handwritten Death
to Client
17.
Print abridged
death certificate
2.1
Registered Medical
Practitioner forward
a copy of page 1 of
to Home Affairs
3.
Undertaker fills
sec E & and takes
his/ her
thumbprint & the
fingerprints of the
deceased and
informant
4.
Undertaker or
informant submits
documents to
DHA
Front Office
Clerk #1
6.
Verify particulars of
Doctor or Nurse on
database
5.
Check DHA-1663
for completeness
Fingers on
HANIS?
Yes
No
8.
Verify if Funeral
undertaker is
registered on the
database
Yes
Info
match?
No
No
FU
registered?
No
Yes
10.
Verify particulars
of informant and
deceased on NPR
Information
match?
No
12.
Conduct online
verification of the
informant
7.
Refer to supervisor to
follow up and request
the doctor to submit a
copy of the “registration
of his practice”
9.
Request the FU to bring
the letter of designation
/ if not designated
request the next of kin
to come register
13.
Complete DHA-9 to
capture / update
fingers on HANIS
and attach to DHA1663
15.
Capture in NPR
Fingers
verified by
HANIS?
Yes
14.
Print out Online
Verification
confirmation and
attach to DHA1663
Yes
11.
Note the error code on
DHA-1663 and refer to
BVR for investigation
16.
Issue Handwritten
or abridged Death
Certificate and
burial order
18
Designation & duties of local registrar
 Legal framework – centralised civil registration
 Constitutional mandate – national competency, cooperative governance
 Operations – decentralised = provincial provinces & local level
Functions and Powers
 registrations and take applications
 Access rights to: capture, view, print, BUT not amend/rectify
 Investigation and verification of information
 Issue certificates (unabridged BMD)
 Local footprint expansion, needs identification
 Inter-agency engagements
 Conduct outreach programmes
 Quality assurance
 Ensure access to services, Public education, Stakeholder engagement
19
Information Repository: National Population Register
Identity Number
Registration
Name and Surname
Verification
Residential Status
Marital Status
Identification
Birth Information
Citizenship
Death Information
National
Population
Register
ID Book
issuing
Passport Information
Passport
issuing
Control Flags
Immigration Information
Immigration
Fingerprint Information
Archive Information
Certificates
20
Challenges
 Late Registration of Births (LRB) – addressed through enforcement of new
legislation(effecting penalties after 2015)
 Inadequate knowledge of birth registration amongst other persons in some areas –
communication strategy in place
 Late Registration of Death- Public Education and awareness & Regulations to enforce
registration of Death within 3 days (72 hrs.)
 Systems not integrated with other departments (though information shared through
MOU)
 National psyche & consciousness to make civil registration a natural civic duty
 Cultural & religious barriers remain, e.g. naming the child
 Historical millions of paper based records
 Some areas lack or have weak network or connectivity (very difficult signal
penetration
 Stand alone, not compatible IT system within departments & intra departmental
 Registration of deaths in rural remote areas
21
Mitigation strategies
 NPR Campaign launched in 2010
 Establishment of stakeholder forums
 Hospitals connectivity
 Introduction of Unabridged Births certificates on the spot
 Paternity requirements
 High impact outreach programmes using Mobile offices/solution
 Intensive communication strategy using various platforms and
mediums
 Production & distribution of promotional materials ( pamphlets and
posters)
 MOU and Collaboration with Health, Education, Agri-SA, StatsSA,
HSRC (research, surveys and trends)
22
Mitigation strategies
 Legislation review (enactment of Births and Deaths Registration
Amendment Act, 2010 with emphasis on birth registration within 30
days and death registration within 72 hrs.) & proclamation of Births &
Deaths regulations
 Registration process – easily redefined, understandable
 Increased footprint
 Quality & completeness – changed the forms, biometrics, paternity
requirements, staff training by learning academy and business units,
SOPs
 Leadership- minister’s advice, face & champion
 Public Education & Public communication platforms - TV, radio,
billboards
 Household profiling & collaboration with municipalities
23
Incentives and sanctions
 Child birth Registration gives access to social benefits
 Schools require birth certificates
 People are able to travel abroad
 Private sector need birth certificates for medical aid
purposes
 Birth registered after 30 days shall be phased out by
December 2015, after which stringent measures / penalties
shall apply
24
Thank you
25