Afiswitch
Afiswitch is a South African compliance-services company that performs SAPS-authorised fingerprint-based criminal record checks via a nationwide network of authorized service providers, serving employers, corporates, and regulators including SACE, PSiRA, and VFS Global.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersCenturion, South Africa
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Afiswitch does
Afiswitch (Pty) Ltd, founded in 2007 and headquartered at Lakefield Office Park, Centurion, South Africa, is a private compliance-services company that performs fingerprint-based criminal record checks on behalf of the South African Police Service (SAPS). Using FBI-certified electronic fingerprint capture technology, the company submits captured prints against the SAPS fingerprint database — which contains records of all known convicted persons and case-awaiting-trial individuals — to determine an applicant's previous conviction status. Output is delivered as an authenticated prior conviction enquiry certificate, accessible through an online verification portal keyed on Host Request reference numbers and ID/Passport authentication.
The company's commercial offering is structured around a regulated set of use cases: pre-employment background screening, corporate enquiries, educator registration with the South African Council for Educators (SACE), professional driving permit (PrDP) applications, security industry registration with the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA), and visa application support through VFS Global. Distribution is two-tiered — Afiswitch engages end customers (employers, HR departments, corporates, regulatory applicants) directly via phone and email, and operates a nationwide authorized service provider network (including LexisNexis South Africa/RefCheck, MIE, Huru, CheckID, CSI Africa, LPS, Nevetec Verifications, Fraudcheck, and SA Polygraph & Investigation) covering all nine South African provinces to handle fingerprint capture and submission.
Afiswitch monetises on a transaction-fee basis per fingerprint clearance, with pricing not publicly disclosed. The company operates with 11–50 employees, has no parent company, no subsidiaries, no disclosed funding rounds, and no M&A history. Its core intangible is its monopoly-style authorisation from SAPS combined with deeply embedded positions in regulated vertical workflows, which together generate structural pull-through volume from mandatory use cases. Technical disclosure is limited to the certification standard of the capture hardware, encrypted transport, and offline storage capability; no AI/ML, API, SDK, or mobile app surface is publicly described.
Afiswitch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Afiswitch
- Legal name
- Afiswitch (Pty) Ltd
- Website
- https://afiswitch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Afiswitch is a South African compliance-services company that performs SAPS-authorised fingerprint-based criminal record checks via a nationwide network of authorized service providers, serving employers, corporates, and regulators including SACE, PSiRA, and VFS Global.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Afiswitch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Background Check Services
- NAICS
- Investigation and Personal Background Check Services (561611)
- SIC
- Services-Detective, Guard & Armored Car Services (7381)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Fingerprinting & Biometric-Based Checks (BPACALAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County) (BPACALAA), Continuous Monitoring & Post-Hire Screening (BPACALAJ)
Keywords
Where Afiswitch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Centurion
- HQ country
- South Africa
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices1 record
Markets served
Afiswitch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Fingerprint Criminal Record Checks: Afiswitch performs fingerprint clearances on behalf of SAPS, charging for pre-employment enquiries, corporate enquiries, professional registrations (SACE, PSiRA, PrDP), and visa applications through VFS Global partnerships
- Service Provider Network: Collaboration with authorized service providers who capture fingerprints and submit enquiries on behalf of end customers, creating a B2B2C revenue model
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
Afiswitch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Afiswitch performs automated electronic fingerprint-based criminal record checks on behalf of the South African Police Service (SAPS), vetting applicant fingerprints against the SAPS database of all known convicted and case-awaiting-trial persons. The service supports pre-employment screening, corporate compliance, and regulatory registrations (SACE for educators, PSiRA for security personnel, PrDP for professional drivers, and VFS Global visa applications), delivered through a nationwide authorized service provider network with results verifiable via an online certificate portal.
Product overview
Afiswitch offers a unified criminal record checking service built around its core Automated Electronic Criminal Record Checks product, which uses fingerprint identification verified against the SAPS database. The service is delivered through a nationwide network of authorized service providers who perform fingerprint capture, with results accessible via the company's Certificate Verification Portal. The core product, service provider network, and verification portal form an integrated service for pre-employment screening, regulatory compliance, and visa applications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Previous Conviction Enquiries (Automated Electronic Criminal Record Checks) Fingerprint-based criminal record checking service that queries the South African Police Service (SAPS) database to determine previous conviction and case-awaiting-trial status of applicants. Performed on behalf of SAPS for pre-employment screening, corporate enquiries, and regulatory registrations including SACE, PSiRA, PrDP, and VFS Global visa applications.
- Certificate Verification Portal Online portal allowing employers and other verifiers to authenticate the validity of Afiswitch-issued previous conviction enquiry certificates by entering a Host Request reference number along with an ID or Passport number.
Companies that use Afiswitch
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Afiswitch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Afiswitch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- SA Police Service (SAPS)coreAfiswitch performs fingerprint clearances on behalf of the SA Police Service against the SAPS fingerprint database of all known convicted and/or case awaiting trial persons to determine previous conviction status. This is the core operational partnership enabling Afiswitch's criminal record check services.
- South African Council for Educators (SACE)coreAfiswitch performs fingerprint clearance function for educator registration with SACE, enabling teachers and education professionals to obtain criminal record clearances required for their professional registration.
- Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority (PSiRA)coreAfiswitch provides fingerprint clearance services for registration with PSiRA, the regulatory authority for the private security industry in South Africa, enabling security personnel to obtain required criminal record clearances.
- VFS GlobalcoreAfiswitch performs fingerprint clearance function for relevant visa applications through VFS Global, the visa application services provider, supporting criminal record verification for visa processing.
- CSI AfricamajorCSI Africa is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint criminal record checks through Afiswitch's system. Listed across multiple provinces including Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, North West, and Northern Cape.
- MIE (Managed Integrity Evaluation)majorMIE is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint clearance services through Afiswitch's system, operating across multiple provinces including Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and Northern Cape.
- LexisNexis South AfricamajorLexisNexis South Africa (RefCheck) is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint criminal record checks through Afiswitch's system across all South African provinces.
- CheckIDmajorCheckID is an authorized service provider offering biometric fingerprint clearance services through Afiswitch's system, operating across Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, and Mpumalanga provinces.
- HurumajorHuru is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint capture services through Afiswitch's system, with national coverage across all South African provinces including national capture locations.
- LPSmajorLPS (possibly Legal Processing Services) is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint clearance services through Afiswitch's system across numerous provinces including Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.
- Nevetec VerificationsmajorNevetec Verifications is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint criminal record checks through Afiswitch's system across multiple provinces including Free State, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, Northern Cape, and Western Cape.
- FraudcheckmajorFraudcheck is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint criminal record checks through Afiswitch's system, with checkpoints in Free State, Gauteng, and other provinces.
- SA Polygraph & InvestigationmajorSA Polygraph & Investigation is an authorized service provider offering fingerprint clearance services through Afiswitch's system across Free State, Mpumalanga, North West, and Northern Cape provinces.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Afiswitch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- HireRight: Large global employment-screening provider with criminal, identity, and credential checks. Comparable as a multinational competitor that local South African employers (especially multinationals) may choose instead of Afiswitch-powered providers.
- Kroll (Employee Risk Management): Global background-screening and due-diligence incumbent operating across multiple geographies. Comparable because it competes for the same multinational employer screening RFPs in South Africa and the broader African market, even though its offering is much broader than Afiswitch's fingerprint focus.
Direct peers
- LexisNexis South Africa (RefCheck): RefCheck is LexisNexis' South African background-screening brand and an authorized Afiswitch service provider covering all provinces. Comparable because it sells fingerprint-based criminal checks to employers as part of a broader screening suite, often bundled with credit and ID verification.
- Huru: Authorized fingerprint capture service provider with national coverage using Afiswitch's platform. Comparable as a same-product, same-channel competitor for SAPS-database fingerprint checks.
- Nevetec Verifications: Authorized service provider offering fingerprint criminal record checks across nearly all South African provinces. Comparable as a direct reseller competing for the same employer-driven pre-employment screening volume.
- Fraudcheck: Authorized Afiswitch service provider running fingerprint clearance checkpoints across multiple provinces. Comparable because it resells the same SAPS-database criminal record check to corporate and pre-employment customers.
- MIE (Managed Integrity Evaluation): One of South Africa's largest background-screening firms, operating across all nine provinces and an authorized service provider using Afiswitch's SAPS integration. Directly comparable because it sells the same pre-employment criminal-record check service to the same employer customer base.
- CSI Africa: Authorized service provider offering fingerprint criminal record checks across most South African provinces through Afiswitch's system. Comparable because it provides the same biometric criminal-check service to employer and regulatory clients.
- CheckID: Authorized biometric fingerprint-clearance service provider operating in multiple provinces on Afiswitch's rails. Comparable as a direct reseller of the same Afiswitch-powered criminal record check product to the same employer/regulatory customers.
Emerging players
- XDS (Xpert Decision Systems): South African background-screening and credential verification provider focused on qualification, credit, and ID checks. Comparable as an adjacent employee-screening competitor competing for the same employer HR budget, though it complements rather than replicates Afiswitch's SAPS fingerprint core.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Afiswitch social profiles
Digital presenceAfiswitch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Afiswitch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Afiswitch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Afiswitch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Afiswitch
What does Afiswitch do?
Afiswitch performs automated electronic fingerprint-based criminal record checks on behalf of the South African Police Service (SAPS), vetting applicant fingerprints against the SAPS database of all known convicted and case-awaiting-trial persons. The service supports pre-employment screening, corporate compliance, and regulatory registrations (SACE for educators, PSiRA for security personnel, PrDP for professional drivers, and VFS Global visa applications), delivered through a nationwide authorized service provider network with results verifiable via an online certificate portal.
Is Afiswitch a public or private company?
Afiswitch is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Afiswitch founded?
Afiswitch was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Afiswitch based?
Afiswitch is headquartered in Centurion, South Africa, in the Africa region.
How does Afiswitch make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Fingerprint Criminal Record Checks are the primary driver. The others are service Provider Network.
Who are Afiswitch's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are HireRight and Kroll (Employee Risk Management). Direct peers are LexisNexis South Africa (RefCheck), Huru, Nevetec Verifications, Fraudcheck, MIE (Managed Integrity Evaluation), CSI Africa and CheckID. XDS (Xpert Decision Systems) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Afiswitch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Afiswitch.
What industry is Afiswitch in?
Afiswitch's product category is Background Check Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPACALAK, Fingerprinting & Biometric-Based Checks, with a secondary code of BPACALAA, Criminal Background Checks (National/State/County). Its NAICS code is 561611 and its SIC code is 7381.