By KEDIBONE MOLAETSI
11 November 2026 – The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber said his department has delivered on its target of expanding Smart ID replacement services to over 750 bank branches — more than four months ahead of schedule. Schreiber said when the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) launched its new digital partnership with the banking sector on 9 March 2026, as part of the Minister’s Home Affairs @ home reform agenda, it set itself the ambitious target of scaling this ground-breaking new service to 750 branches by the end of the 2026/27 financial year.
“Just eight months later, and more than four months ahead of schedule, this target has already been surpassed, with 753 bank branches now delivering access to Smart IDs in communities that were historically excluded from this critical Home Affairs service.
“More than one million South Africans across the length and breadth of the country have already benefited from this new digital service channel,” he said.
Schreiber further said at the start of the current administration, only 214 Home Affairs offices nationwide were equipped to process Smart ID applications. He said addition of 753 participating bank branches over the past eight months has expanded the department’s Smart ID footprint to 967 locations, an increase of over 350% in just 246 days.
“This service requires no prior booking, paperwork or queues. Citizens can simply walk into a participating branch of ABSA, Capitec, First National Bank or Standard Bank, where applications are processed through secure biometric technology in just five minutes.
“More banks and more services are set to be added to the project shortly. This expansion in access across all communities also supports the department’s roadmap to phase out the fraud-prone green ID book, which serves as a key pull factor for illegal immigration and identity theft, in favour of the more secure Smart ID Card, strengthening the security and integrity of South Africa’s identification system,” said Schreiber .
He said eight months ago, they set themselves what many regarded as an extremely ambitious target of delivering Smart ID services to 750 bank branches by the end of March 2027. Schreiber said today, they have not only achieved that target but exceeded it with more than four months to spare.
“An increase in access of over 350% in just 246 days is the fastest service expansion [the department’s history]. We can now say with confidence that the days of standing in a long queue just to apply for a replacement Smart ID are fast coming to an end.
“There is so much more still to come as we continue to expand our digital partnership … At a time when people have often complained that government falls short of its promises, Home Affairs is demonstrating that government is not only able to deliver on its commitments, but that it can, through the embrace of innovation and fundamental reform, exceed all expectations,” he said.
Schreiber said through the department’s commitment to delivering world-class digital public infrastructure for the people of South Africa, they are including millions of previously excluded citizens in critical Home Affairs services at a scale and pace never seen before. He said every day, they continue to accelerate their work to entirely redesign and rebuild Home Affairs for the modern age, anchored in their ceaseless quest to deliver dignity for all.
“South Africans can find their nearest participating bank branch by visiting myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za,” said Schreiber.
Picture: The Minister of Home Affairs, Dr Leon Schreiber
