The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has introduced an online service to simplify locating the nearest participating bank branch to apply for a smart ID card.
Launched by DHA minister Dr Leon Schreiber in Cape Town this week, the online portal forms part of the department’s digital partnership with banking sector partners.
Branches that join the partnership will automatically be added to the website in real-time, according to the department.
“This new online service makes it easier than ever for South Africans to find their nearest participating bank branch and switch to the secure smart ID card,” says Schreiber.
“Every reform we implement should make our services easier to access, and this is another practical step towards achieving that goal.”
The minister has encouraged South Africans still using the green barcoded ID book to switch to the smart ID card by using the new online service to find their nearest participating bank branch.
“More than half a million South Africans have already made the switch from the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book through our banking partners. Home Affairs @ home is about bringing our services closer to where people live, work and bank, so that secure home affairs services fit into the lives of South Africans instead of expecting South Africans to fit into ours.”
About 16 million South Africans still rely on the green ID book, which is prone to fraud and identity theft, says the DHA. In 2019, the World Bank noted the green barcoded ID book had been in use since 1986.
The smart ID cards, which were first introduced in 2013, are a key pillar of the DHA’s modernisation programme, replacing the traditional green ID books for South African citizens.
To speed up the process, the department partnered with major banking outlets to roll out the smart IDs in their branches.
In March, a new digital partnership with the banking sector was announced, resulting in more than half a million South African smart ID applications through participating bank branches.
The digital partnership has expanded rapidly, allowing South Africans to access smart ID services through 372 participating bank branches across the country.
Share
