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South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, has announced the conclusion of an agreement aimed at enabling banks to offer smart ID and passport services through their banking apps. This agreement involves Schreiber’s department, the Border Management Agency (BMA), Government Printing Works (GPW), and the South African Revenue Service (SARS).
“The agreement marks a new era that will fundamentally reform and improve the way that government works in the Republic of South Africa,” stated the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). According to the DHA, the service ecosystem, which includes Home Affairs, the BMA, and GPW, will utilise world-class technology from SARS to revolutionise all civics and immigration services.
Citizens can look forward to several benefits, including:
- Integration of Home Affairs Services: Access to smart ID and passport services will expand to hundreds of bank branches and banking apps.
- Courier Delivery Options: Citizens will have the option to select courier delivery for their documents.
- Electronic Travel Authorisation System: A new system will digitise and automate immigration procedures, reducing inefficiency and fraud.
- Upgraded Movement Control System: Improvements will be made at ports of entry.
- Smart IDs for Naturalised Citizens and Permanent Residents: Introduction of smart IDs for all eligible individuals.
The DHA announced that work to roll out these improvements is already in full swing, with ongoing activation announcements planned. Schreiber stated that the government can only invalidate South Africa’s green ID books once all citizens, including naturalised citizens and permanent residents, have access to smart ID cards. Currently, around 18 million South Africans still need to be reached.
“The green ID book is insecure and poses a risk to South Africa. We must eliminate it, but only once everyone has access to the alternative smart ID,” he explained. The target was initially set at 2.5 million smart IDs this year, but Schreiber indicated that they are now on track for 3.6 million.
Despite the progress, Schreiber emphasised the need for drastic changes to expedite the invalidation of the old ID books. He stressed the importance of collaboration between the DHA and South African banks to integrate technologies effectively.
“In the past, Home Affairs had its own computer, fingerprint scanner, camera, and an official sitting in a corner of the bank. That makes no sense. We must integrate with the bank’s technology,” he stated. To meet the ambitious target of expanding smart ID access before the 2029 national and provincial elections, the department must hasten its production of smart IDs.
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At the Independent Electoral Commission’s e-Voting Conference in March 2025, Schreiber outlined his vision for a digital ID system following the expansion of smart ID access. He emphasised the urgency of providing these services nationwide, allowing all South Africans to obtain the necessary documentation without long-distance travel.
“This will enable us to eventually discontinue the green barcoded ID book, which is far more prone to fraud than the smart ID,” he noted. Schreiber aims for a fully-fledged digital ID system by the next elections in 2029.
