The Minister of State for Public Sector Reforms, Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, has announced plans to introduce a nationwide retirement age reform aimed at addressing age fraud within the public service.
Speaking after a meeting with South Africa’s Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration, Pinky Sharon Kekana, the Minister emphasized the importance of implementing an identification system that tracks individuals from birth to retirement.
She proposed assigning every child a unique identification number at birth, which would be used consistently throughout their education, entry into the workforce, and eventual retirement.
According to her, such a system would enhance policy planning, reduce reliance on national censuses, and eliminate age-related discrepancies in the public sector.
“If from birth you’re given a unique number that follows you through every stage of life—from school to work to retirement—it simplifies planning and policy development. We won’t even need a census,” she explained.
Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba added that the Public Sector Reforms Secretariat will collaborate with key ministries such as Gender, Health, and Local Government to develop and implement the identification-at-birth policy.
She also revealed plans to review the current code of conduct for public servants, noting that reforms are needed to address modern challenges in the sector and ensure ethical standards are upheld.
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