The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and Absa have launched South Africa’s first bank-based mobile unit for Smart ID renewals, marking the next phase of their partnership to bring essential identity services closer to communities.

A customer engagement session took place at Towers West in the Johannesburg CBD on July 22, where those applying for new Smart IDs were able to ask questions about the process and receive help from bank employees.

The session demonstrated how government and the private sector can work together through secure digital integration, an expanded branch network, and new mobile service capability.

The mobile units will initially operate in Gauteng and is designed to take selected Home Affairs services directly to remote, peri-urban and underserved communities.

As part of the expansion, Home Affairs and Absa plan to implement the services at Absa branches across Joburg, including Joburg South.

The rollout also includes the expansion of Home Affairs services to additional Absa branches and new digital functionality on the Absa Banking App, where customers can now book appointments and track their applications.

Minister of Home Affairs Dr Leon Schreiber said the implementation of the smart ID service is another milestone for the Department’s Home Affairs @ home reform program.

He noted that limited access to Smart IDs has long been the biggest obstacle to replacing the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book.

“In just four and a half months, our digital partnership with South Africa’s banking sector has expanded the footprint of Home Affairs Smart ID services from 214 locations to 541, with around 750 participating bank branches expected by the end of this year,” Dr Schreiber said.

“South Africa’s first bank-based Home Affairs mobile unit is another major step towards Home Affairs @ home, bringing secure identity services closer to where South Africans live, work and bank.”

The partnership introduces a new digitally integrated service model enabled through the Department of Home Affairs’ secure Digital API Gateway.

This connects participating banks directly to Home Affairs systems while ensuring the department remains the custodian of all national identity data.

During the initial phase, eligible customers will be able to replace lost, stolen or damaged Smart ID cards, convert green barcoded ID books to Smart ID cards, and update cards following changes in marital status.