Cape Town – South Africa has expanded its Smart ID replacement services to 753 bank branches, allowing customers of Absa, Capitec, FNB and Standard Bank to replace their identity documents without having to visit Home Affairs offices.
The Department of Home Affairs reached the milestone on Wednesday, November 11, more than four months ahead of its March 2027 target, according to an announcement by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.
The expansion means South Africans can now access Smart ID services at a combined 967 locations nationwide, including participating bank branches and Home Affairs offices.
In a statement published on the South African Government website, Schreiber said the department had exceeded its target after just eight months of implementing its digital partnership with the banking sector.
Additional services
“An increase in access of over 350% in just 246 days is the fastest service expansion in our history,” the minister said.
The initiative, launched on March 9, 2026, allows eligible customers to walk into participating bank branches without making prior bookings or completing paperwork. Applications are processed using biometric technology and take approximately five minutes.
The service is currently limited to replacing existing Smart ID cards or switching from the old green barcoded identity book. First-time Smart ID applications are not yet available through the participating banks.
The department plans to extend the programme to more banking institutions and introduce additional services, including first-time Smart ID applications, passport applications and home delivery of identity documents.
Transforming access to government services
The expansion follows growing uptake of the digital service. In an earlier update published on October 26, the South African Government reported that more than one million South Africans had already used the new banking channel to obtain replacement Smart ID cards.
The initiative also forms part of Home Affairs’ efforts to phase out the green barcoded identity book, which the department considers vulnerable to fraud and identity theft.
Schreiber said the department was working towards transforming access to government services through digital technology, adding that “the days of standing in a long queue just to apply for a replacement Smart ID, are fast coming to an end.”
Follow African Insider on Facebook, X and Instagram
Picture: Copilot
For more African news, visit Africaninsider.com
Compiled by Betha Madhomu
