Department of Home Affairs Lags Behind on Smart ID Card Rollout, Green ID Books to Remain in Use
The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in South Africa is significantly behind schedule on its plan to replace green ID books with smart ID cards. This delay means that many South Africans who have not yet adopted the new ID cards will continue to use their old ID books for years to come.
Originally, the DHA introduced the smart ID card in July 2013 with the intent to phase out green ID books between 2018 and 2022. The smart ID card offers numerous benefits over the booklet-style IDs, such as a secure microchip storing biometric information, a "match on card" feature enhancing privacy, visual anti-forgery elements, and a durable polycarbonate body designed to last.
Despite these advantages, the adoption of smart ID cards has been sluggish. As of June 2024, only 21 million smart ID cards had been issued, covering just 55.3% of the estimated 38 million ID holders from 2013. This includes many first-time applicants who would have received their smart ID card upon turning 16 or as new citizens. The initial deadline to phase out green ID books by 2022 has clearly not been met, and the pace of rollout suggests it will take several more years to reach full adoption.
One of the key issues hampering the rollout is the slow progress in finalizing agreements between the DHA and banks to expand smart ID card applications to more bank branches. Although a pilot program launched in 2016 has seen over 665,000 people obtain their smart IDs from 30 participating bank branches, this service has not expanded as quickly as needed.
In addition, there have been complaints about the DHA's service limitations. The Democratic Alliance (DA) has criticized the DHA for not offering smart ID cards to naturalized citizens, who are currently only able to obtain the green ID book. This situation forces them to travel long distances to the few DHA offices still issuing green ID books, effectively making them second-class citizens, according to DA’s Angel Khanyile.
Delays in the collection of smart ID cards are also a significant issue. In October 2023, approximately half a million smart ID cards were uncollected at DHA offices nationwide, further highlighting the operational inefficiencies.
Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi recently stated that the DHA is on track to achieve its annual target of issuing 2.5 million ID cards for the 2023/2024 financial year. However, at this rate, it would take an additional seven years to issue the remaining 17 million ID cards needed to replace all green ID books, not accounting for new applicants.
While the smart ID card system offers improved security and durability, the DHA’s delays mean that green ID books will remain a legal form of identification for the foreseeable future. This ongoing reliance on outdated ID books underscores the urgent need for the DHA to accelerate its smart ID card rollout and resolve the various issues impeding progress.
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