Is the biometric data used in voter identification at polling stations?

Electronic Voter Identification System (EVID) (accessed on 27-08-2018)

“Basically, EVID is an electronic poll book. There are two types of EVID technology, the laptop with attached finger print reader and the handheld device with in-build finger print reader. EVIDs were used for the first time during the March 4th General Elections (29,000 laptops and 4,600 handhelds). The EVIDs verify and confirm voters electronically as registered by BVR. They are used to ″check-in″ voters at polling station on polling day and is helpful in streamlining. EVID curbs impersonation and ensures that only those who registered to vote are allowed to vote. However some challenges were experienced in the March 4th polling day when some of the machines failed to work largely due to inadequate training and running out of battery charge. In such cases, the polling officials carried out verification of voters using the voter register print outs.”

Elections Act 24 of 2011 (last amended in 2017)

44. Use of technology

(1) Subject to this section, there is established an integrated electronic electoral system that enables biometric voter registration, electronic voter identification and electronic transmission of results. […]