The Department of Home Affairs says it has expanded Smart Identity Document (ID) replacement services to over 200 bank branches nationwide, increasing access by 73 percent in just over three months.
The department says more than 250 000 people have used the service since its launch in March.
It says this has helped accelerate the replacement of the Green ID Book, which is still used by around 16 million South Africans and is vulnerable to fraud.
Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber says the rollout, involving Capitec, Standard Bank and FNB branches, is being hailed as the largest expansion of Home Affairs services since democracy.
“I am excited to share that there is much more still to come. Not only will we expand the Smart ID replacement service to 750 branches by the end of this year, but we will shortly also add first-time Smart ID applications, Passport applications, and home deliveries to all of these bank branches. I reiterate my call to the people of South Africa: if you still have a Green ID book, help us to eradicate identity theft that feeds illegal immigration and financial fraud by switching to the Smart ID today.”
PODCAST |
About the Author
