Zuko Komisa

- The Department of Home Affairs has expanded access to Smart ID replacement services by 73% after launching 203 live bank branches.
- More than 250,000 South Africans have already utilised the new paperless, fully biometric service since its launch in March.
- The initiative aims to reach 750 branches by the end of 2026, with plans to introduce passport applications and home deliveries shortly.
The Department of Home Affairs has reached a significant milestone in its ongoing digital transformation, with 203 bank branches now operating under its new partnership model. The rollout has expanded access to critical identification services by 73% in just over three months, building significantly on the previous infrastructure of 248 Home Affairs offices and 32 bank branches.
The initiative aims to accelerate the replacement of the country’s vulnerable green barcode ID books, which are highly susceptible to fraud and identity theft. Roughly 16 million South Africans still rely on the legacy books.
President Cyril Ramaphosa recently emphasized that transitioning to the secure Smart ID card is vital for protecting citizens from financial fraud and securing the national population register.
The current network comprises 109 Capitec branches, 74 Standard Bank branches, and 20 FNB branches.
Within these sites, citizens can complete a secure, fully biometric application in as little as five minutes without paperwork or prior bookings. Home Affairs described the milestone as the largest reform and expansion of service access since the dawn of democracy.
Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, praised the rapid progress of the digital partnership model and its impact on accessibility:
“Reaching more than 200 participating bank branches and processing over 250 000 transactions in just over three months since the launch of this project is a remarkable achievement and a powerful demonstration of the progress being made through our Home Affairs @ home reform programme.”
The department intends to expand the Smart ID replacement service to 750 banking branches by the end of the year.
Future updates to the platform will also introduce first-time Smart ID applications, passport applications, and home delivery options across the entire participating bank network.
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