Misinformed service providers, fly-by-night operators and “buck-chasers” continue to pose a threat to the development of South Africa’s biometric identity management industry, by fuelling negative perception of products and undermine the value of legitimate offerings.
This is according to Marius Coetzee, MD of Ideco, who believes the country faces an uphill battle against ruthless suppliers who vaguely understand biometrics and are driving sales targets without providing adequate after-sales service. There are also many posers who have no genuine track record in the market or sufficient expertise to add any real value.
“Manufacturers from around the world are flooding our market with every possible biometric option. With the typical DIY culture in SA, every developer thinks that by ordering a biometrics unit online and downloading the development tools makes him an expert in the field.
“Every biometric modality (fingerprint, facial, iris, voice and so on) is available in our market and sold on the gimmicks. Some readers talk to you, some read under water and some see it all’,” Coetzee says.
He adds that, currently, only one modal (fingerprint) is regarded as mature and available for large scale commercial deployment, and there are only a selected few brands that are tested, proven and chosen for the South African conditions.
Coetzee says that, while there are global standards, these don’t guarantee quality, or service. “The reality is that even a sub-standard biometric offering can be made to comply with certain standards.”
He adds that all stakeholders should collaborate.
“Customers need to realise that biometrics is regarded as personal information which is subject to many regulatory and judiciary requirements. Consultants need to realise that no biometric solution operates in total isolation.
“At some point customers may be required to use the transactions as evidence in a court of law, or to link to the Criminal Record Centre of SAPS or to verify Identities against the Department of Home Affairs,” he says.
