Biometrics technology has become commonplace in SA as organisations seek to combat identity fraud.
So says Stan Khan, MD of Muvoni Biometrics and Smartcard Solutions, who points out that SA has a long history of the successful adoption of biometrics, with applications in the government sector dating back to the early 1900s, with SAPS, for instance, having fingerprint records dating back to 1925.
The biometrics market has been growing as one of the fastest emerging markets for the past few years especially due to rising need for personal security concerns. Many governments across the world are adopting biometric technologies to strengthen national security and maintain individual identity.
Khan says the increased cases of identity theft in SA are prompting organisations to deploy biometrics to mitigate the risks.
According to a recent market report published by Transparency Market Research "Biometrics Technology (Face, Hand geometry, Voice, Signature, Iris, AFIS, Non-AFIS and Others) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013-2019", the global market is expected to reach a value of $23.3 billion by 2019, at a CAGR of 20.8% from 2013 to 2019.
The report says biometrics technology provides high-level security and cannot be stolen since it uses an individual's physiological and behavioural characteristics for identification. The convenience and growing applications in the government sector - national identity schemes, national border control projects such as e-passports etc - are the key factors that will contribute to the growth of biometrics in the upcoming years, it adds.
"Since the turn of this century, biometrics has become more commonplace in industry, with new markets adopting the technology due to the availability of the Home Affairs National Identification System (HANIS)," says Khan.
He explains traditional users of biometrics are mainly in the government sector, like home affairs (HANIS), SAPS (Criminal Records Centre), transport (driving licence/eNatis), correctional services and integrated justice, as well as social welfare (SASSA/grant beneficiaries).
Khan says local industry has also adopted the technology mainly for time and attendance and access control. Access control and visitor management has also experienced an increase in the residential estate market.
The banking and financial services industry is also a major growth area, especially where their "know your customer" processes are involved, he adds.
With the most popular smartphones among consumers now featuring a fingerprint scanner, SA's banks are reportedly looking into ways of incorporating fingerprint - and other - biometrics technology in their mobile banking offerings.
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