South Africans complain of hassles in obtaining smart ID cards

Some citizens in South Africa say it is not a jolly ride trying to obtain the biometric smart ID card mandated by the Department of Home Affairs.

According to a report by local TV Newsroom Afrika, the complaints range from long queues and wait times to the cost of application for the credential.

The outlet quotes citizens who say they are discouraged to apply for the card because they have to spend many hours waiting in queues at Home Affairs ID offices.

For others, the fee required to be paid to obtain the card is uncalled for. They think the smart IDs should be given for free by the government that wants the change. Others worry that the card is difficult to carry in the pocket.

The department of Home Affairs has been pushing for wide adoption of the smart ID card as a replacement for the green ID booklet which has served as the country’s official national ID for the past 40 years. The department is pushing for the transition, arguing that the green ID booklets are commonly used as a conduit for criminal activities.

Home Affairs says the issuance of at least 2.5 million smart ID cards is part of its 2025 budget priorities, as it is also deploying more efforts to open more ID enrollment points across the country to facilitate obtention.

The push to fully embrace smart ID cards is part of the government’s digital transformation drive which includes the integration of biometrics into various sectors such as border management and airport passenger controls.

Recently, the government announced plans to introduce a national digital identity system which will serve as the single tool for access to all government services. This effort is a collaboration between the South African Reserve Bank, Revenue Service and the Department of Home Affairs.

Home Affairs says it is also working on a plan to digitize all services related to ID documents, following incidents such as a passport scam for a which a former top official of the Department was jailed for 12 years.

Article Topics

Africa  |  biometrics  |  digital government  |  digital identity  |  identity document  |  national ID  |  South Africa