South Africans who still rely on the country’s old green bar-coded identity books are being urged to move to the modern smart ID card system, with Home Affairs warning that the older documents are expected to be phased out within the next two years.
The Department of Home Affairs has not yet published a final date for when green ID books will cease to be accepted. Thulani Mavuso, the department’s deputy director-general for operations, said the formal timetable would be announced by the minister at an appropriate time.
However, Mavuso made it clear that the transition is already underway and that citizens should not wait until the final deadline before applying for a smart ID.
The move forms part of a broader effort by Home Affairs to modernise South Africa’s identity-document system. The department considers the older green books vulnerable to manipulation and fraud, making their replacement an important part of strengthening identity security.
The green bar-coded ID book has been used by South Africans for decades. Its gradual replacement by smart ID cards represents one of the most significant changes to the country’s identity-document system since the introduction of the electronic cards.
Millions of smart ID cards have already been issued
Home Affairs has issued approximately 34 million smart ID cards since the system was introduced. About 25 million of those cards were reissued to people replacing existing identity documents, while another 9.7 million were issued to young South Africans becoming eligible for identity documents for the first time.
Despite the large number of cards issued, the department still faces a significant problem with uncollected documents.
More than 341,000 smart ID cards are currently waiting to be collected across the country. According to Mavuso, some have remained uncollected for almost a decade.
The department has attempted to make access easier by expanding the number of locations where applications and collections can be handled. Participating bank branches have become part of this wider service network.
Mavuso said participating banks issued approximately 700,000 smart ID cards between March and the second week of September. The additional collection points are intended to make the process more convenient and reduce pressure on traditional Home Affairs offices.
The department is also encouraging people who have already applied for smart IDs to collect them as soon as possible.
Parents urged to collect smart IDs for children
Young people are an important focus of the collection campaign. Home Affairs has found that many of the uncollected first-time smart IDs belong to people who applied after turning 16.
Mavuso called on parents to make sure their children complete the process by collecting their documents once applications have been approved.
The transition is expected to become increasingly important as the green ID book is phased out. Mavuso said the smart ID would be essential for identity verification in everyday transactions, particularly when dealing with financial institutions and other organisations that require official identification.
People who lose or damage their identity documents will still have an interim option. Home Affairs can issue a temporary identification certificate while a replacement application is being processed. According to Mavuso, the temporary certificate can also be used for voting.
The department has further introduced measures to assist people who may face difficulties collecting their documents. Elderly people, people with disabilities and children can receive priority during the collection process.
While the exact end date for green ID books has not yet been announced, Home Affairs’ latest warning signals that the transition is moving into a more decisive phase. South Africans who still have the old documents are therefore being encouraged to begin the replacement process rather than wait for the final deadline.