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Government accelerates phase out of defraudable Green ID books

Zuko Komisa

Image | Green barcoded ID/X
  • The Department of Home Affairs is accelerating the replacement of South Africa’s green barcoded identity books with highly secure smart ID cards.
  • Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber revealed that the green ID book remains the most frequently defrauded identity document on the African continent.
  • To replace the 16 million green IDs still in circulation, the government is expanding its application partnership with the banking sector to 750 branches by the end of 2026.

The South African Department of Home Affairs is intensifying its efforts to replace the traditional green barcoded identity books with secure, modern smart ID cards.

This initiative forms part of a broader state strategy to strengthen migration management, modernise the national population register, and combat rampant identity theft.

Speaking at an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration media briefing, Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber highlighted the severe security vulnerabilities of the old document.

He explained that criminal syndicates and undocumented immigrants frequently exploit the green ID’s physical photograph using manual manipulation and artificial intelligence. Currently, approximately 16 million green ID books remain in circulation across the country.

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Detailing the extent of the security threat, Minister Schreiber stated:

“There are studies that it is the most defrauded identity document on the African continent and it is easy to understand why, it has got a physical photograph that can be manipulated or exchanged or swapped. If you lose your green ID, or someone steals it, it can easily be manipulated by putting another photo in there.”

To streamline the transition, Home Affairs is rapidly expanding its digital partnership with the banking sector, allowing citizens to apply for their smart IDs at local bank branches.

The service is currently live in more than 178 branches, including numerous rural areas, with plans to expand to 750 branches by the end of the year.

This phase-out aligns with the government’s newly announced plan to establish an Intelligent Population Register containing biometric data for all individuals in South Africa, alongside new regulations to prevent the misuse of Traffic Registration Numbers.

READ NEXT: SA arrests over 40,000 illegal foreign nationals in major immigration crackdown

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