​Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) has noted media reports on the delays in processing passengers at King Shaka International Airport (KSIA) linking these to the biometric and digital identity technology.

ACSA would like to state that the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and the Border Management Agency (BMA) are implementing a Biometric Movement Control System (BMCS) at the immigration and emigration areas in three of ACSA’s airports. The system went live in 2022 at O.R. Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) and Cape Town International Airport.

We can confirm that the BMCS, which was introduced at KSIA in the last few weeks, has been experiencing post-implementation challenges, causing long queues in the immigration areas. The BMA’s technical team is working on improving the situation by, amongst others, increasing the bandwidth to ensure the system remains online and reducing the manual processing of passengers. ACSA and BMA apologise to passengers for the delays and inconvenience caused.

Furthermore, the media has been reporting on IDEMIA on behalf of BMA, which was already implementing the BMCS. It is public knowledge that ACSA published a Request For Proposal (RFP) for the Automated Border Control (ABC) project, e-Gates and single token for a period of 60 months as part of ACSA’s biometric and digital identity technology programme. 

A year prior to the publishing of the RFP, ACSA engaged in industry research to develop specifications including BMA appointed French multinational technology company, IDEMIA. This exercise sought to understand the BMCS system and its functionality as it was the system which ACSA’s ABC eGates would have to integrate. This is a normal and acceptable practice, especially when an organisation intends to procure a system of this magnitude and technical complexity.

Having followed a prudent procurement process, the contract to the value of R115-million was awarded to IDEMIA. It required that at least 30% of the contract value be subcontracted to a South African, black-owned Exempted Micro Enterprise (EME) and/or Qualified Small Enterprise (QSE). As such, the winning bidder had a teaming agreement with a local company called InfoVerge as its black owned EME/QSE partner (B-BBEE partner) for purposes of complying with EME/QSE requirements in the RFP. 

However, ACSA became aware of an impasse between the two business partners IDEMIA and InfoVerge and engaged both companies with a view to foster an amicable resolution and in the interest of delivering on the contract. ACSA was satisfied that the two business partners would work together in the delivery of the required services. 

Despite ACSA’s efforts, the two business partners could not reach an amicable resolution. This resulted in InfoVerge approaching the High Court Gauteng Local Division (High Court), seeking relief to set aside ACSA’s decision to award the tender for the provision of Automated Border Control project to IDEMIA. 

It is important to categorically state that the matter is a contractual dispute between InfoVerge and IDEMIA, and there is no allegation of irregularities regarding ACSA’s procurement processes in the current legal proceedings before the High Court. 

ACSA can indicate that the allegations being made in the media are not true and will be tested in the court of law. The matter is sub judice, and ACSA is fully cooperating with the legal processes.

Further, as the matter relates to issues pertaining to B-BBEE, IDEMIA and InfoVerge are advised to refer the matter to the B-BBEE Commission, an entity within the administration of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), which is empowered to consider matters pertaining to B-BBEE Act. B-BBEE Commission | Department of Trade & Industry – Department of Trade and Industry Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Commission ​

Notwithstanding the current challenges, ACSA is excited about the prospects of the biometric and digital identity technology that is being procured. The technology will redefine the airport experience in South Africa and is expected to be rolled out across the ACSA airport network in 2026. It will streamline immigration processes, reduce transaction times, enhance security and passenger experience. 

ACSA has finalised a future-proof technology solution, with the first phase set for delivery in November 2024. While the technology is still in the planning phases, we are confident that, once fully rolled out across the ACSA airport network, the BMCS system will facilitate seamless connections of passengers to their next destinations, opportunities, and goals.