South Africa to retire green ID books as Smart ID uptake spikes

South Africa's Department of Home Affairs, led by Minister Leon Schreiber, announced a roadmap to retire the green barcoded ID book that currently serves about 16 million citizens. The move follows a rapid expansion of the digital Smart ID service, which rose by 250 % in just 19 weeks, with more than 422 000 South Africans obtaining Smart IDs through a partnership with banks in four months.

The department plans to increase participating bank branches from roughly 300 to over 750 by the end of 2026, extending services such as passport issuance and home delivery of ID documents. Officials say the phase‑out will curb fraud, identity theft and illegal immigration, positioning Home Affairs as a fully digital‑first agency.

In parallel, an Electronic Travel Authorisation system is being piloted to replace paper visa applications, having already processed over 203 000 applications and flagged thousands of fraudulent submissions.