To mitigate identity fraud, the South African Police Service (SAPS) is introducing a new process for obtaining a police clearance certificate (PCC).

“SAPS has devised one such method to improve security measures to mitigate this risk,” SAPS said on Thursday.

A police clearance certificate is a document issued by the SAPS Criminal Record and Crime Scene Management stating whether or not any criminal offence has been recorded against the person.

It’s a document which provides confirmation of a person’s criminal status.

When and how will the effects take place?

Members of the public are no longer expected to deliver their documentation to the Criminal Record Centre in Pretoria, as was previously the practice.

It is now the sole responsibility of the SAPS to compile and deliver the form to the Criminal Record Centre (CRC) on behalf of the applicant.

According to the SAPS, in the case of an electronic payment, the letters ‘PCC’ followed by the initials and surname of the applicant must be indicated as the reference.

The letters ‘PCC’ will indicate that the payment is for a police clearance certificate. Proof of payment must be attached to the application (SAPS 91(a), which will be provided to the applicant at his/her nearest police station. 

What the process entails?

The first step to obtaining a police clearance certificate is to visit your nearest police station in SA and notify a member of the SAPS that you wish to apply for a SA police clearance certificate. 

The member will then guide you accordingly to the relevant member who will be responsible for the processing of your application. The applicant will be expected to subject himself/herself for a full set of fingerprints for the (SAPS 91a), which is the SA police clearance certificate form.

The applicant must ensure that he or she is in possession of a copy of his or her South African identity document or in possession of his or her official passport, a copy of which will be certified at the police station and attached to the application. 

The applicant must provide a statement regarding his/her previous convictions and indemnify the SAPS against any liability which may result from furnishing information in this regard.

Finalised police clearance certificates will be returned to the station of origin and the applicant will be contacted for collection.

Upon collection, the applicant must again present the original Identity document or passport as confirmation of identity. 

Contact us to assist you:

• Danielle on 076 691 4997                                                                     dan@scfingerprinting.co.za
• Grant (Police Clearance Applications and Expungements) on 082 883 3537 grant@scfingerprinting.co.za

Credited to : SA News Guide