More banks join Home Affairs' digital drive for IDs and passports
Image: Ayanda Ndamane Independent Newspapers
The Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, has announced that two more banks have signed up to join the Department's digital partnership to offer Smart ID and passport services, further expanding access for South Africans across the country.
IOL previously reported that Home Affairs had teamed up with Capitec and FNB to offer these services at hundreds of bank branches across the country.
Schreiber revealed that he had also extended an invitation to the CEOs of other major banks, including ABSA, Discovery Bank, Standard Bank, and others, to join the initiative and help broaden access even further.
According to the department, more banks have now joined the partnership, including ABSA, Discovery Bank, and Standard Bank, bringing the total number of participating banks to five.
"Capitec, First National Bank, Standard Bank, ABSA Bank, Discovery Bank. We anticipate that over 840 bank branches will provide Smart ID and Passport services nationwide within 12 months." Ministerial spokesperson Duwayne Esau said.
However, while the move has been welcomed by many, some critics have raised concerns about the cost and efficiency of the expanded service delivery model.
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Our new digital partnership model, which will enable all South Africans to get a Smart ID or Passport at hundreds more bank branches and through banking apps, is the most transformative, pro-inclusion and pro-poor reform in the history of Home Affairs 🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/5gjTnobAc9 — Leon Schreiber (@Leon_Schreib) August 14, 2025
How much is it costing taxpayers?
The Department of Home Affairs has moved to allay these fears, with Esau saying that the rollout will not cost taxpayers extra and is fully funded by fees paid by participating banks.
"Zero. Home Affairs has upgraded the Online Verification Service (OVS) that is already used by the financial sector to verify the identity of clients," Esau said.
"And has adjusted the fees that the private sector pays to use this service in order to fund maintenance into the future without burdening taxpayers. The same OVS system forms the backbone for rolling out biometrically-secured access points to process Smart ID and Passport applications without human intervention in many more bank branches and on digital apps".
Esau also noted that the previous model offered limited access in rural and underserved areas, with only 218 Home Affairs offices and 30 bank branches, mostly in urban centres.
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