In a move to support senior citizens, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza, together with Mogale City Executive Mayor Lucky Sele, led an outreach programme on Thursday, December 4, to hand over Smart ID cards to elderly residents at the Burgershoop Community Centre.

According to Sele, the initiative forms part of the national government’s campaign to phase out old green barcoded ID books and transition all South Africans to modern, secure identification.

He added that smart ID cards are essential for ensuring the elderly can access crucial government services, including pensions, healthcare, banking, and social grants.

The mayor further highlighted the importance of proper identification, saying, “When our senior citizens possess secure, modern documents, they can navigate state systems with dignity and without unnecessary delays.”

The campaign catered to residents from the Jack Cotton and President homes, and the broader Burgershoop community, many of whom received a Smart ID card for the first time.

To further assist residents, the department deployed mobile service trucks for applications for Smart IDs, birth certificates, and passports – reducing travel costs and long queues at service centres.

The programme was widely praised as a successful example of intergovernmental collaboration, demonstrating how national and local government can work together to bring essential services closer to the people who need them most.