South Africa unveils roadmap for single digital ID system

The South African government is working out a plan for the introduction of a single digital ID system that will streamline access to services in government and the private sector.

Communications and Digital Technologies Minister Solly Malatsi spoke about the plan as the GovTech 2025 conference opened at the Durban International Conference Center this week.

Malatsi told state broadcaster SABC that the single digital ID is part of a roadmap launched in May to drive the country’s digital transformation and digital government efforts.

He said it aims to harmonize the currently siloed digital ID system and centralize access to public services using the Mzansi mobile application.

“Every South African, regardless of where they are in the country, will be able to access government services, from health services to motor vehicle licence renewals, and Home Affairs services,” Malatsi explained.

The minister commended some government departments which he said are making a headway in digital services delivery already. He cited Home Affairs which he described as having done “an incredible job with their ‘Home Affairs at Home’ concept to make booking for IDs and passports much more accessible.” Home Affairs has asked for a mouth-watering budget in the next fiscal year to continue its digital transformation drive.

“The whole idea is that we want South African citizens to have a better experience than they previously had when interacting with their government digitally, because we understand this is where the future of accessing government services and communication is headed,” Malatsi added.

“Overall, it’s about ensuring South Africa catches up with major economies and countries that have moved government services entirely into the digital space.”

The idea of a unique digital ID system for South Africa has been discussed in the past with Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber saying in March that the plan is to make sure the system is in place before the country holds its next national and provincial elections in 2029.

Citizen SuperApp on display at GovTech 2025

GovTech is an annual event in South Africa which brings together different stakeholders including government and private sector representatives, tech innovators, and industry experts, to discuss ways of advancing the country’s digital transformation agenda, and also display cutting-edge technologies.

In this year’s edition which ran from September 8-10, many of such technologies were on display including a Citizen SuperApp from the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), the government ICT agency said in a LinkedIn post. SITA is the main organizer of GovTech which was in its 16^th edition this year.

The app is still at the level of Proof of Concept (POC), ITWeb reports, and it will be used for ID verification once set for rollout, to quicken and secure digital government transactions including digital payments and data exchange.

Other services introduced by SITA include ePermits for faster approvals; eRecruitment to modernize talent acquisition; a responsive Queue Management System; and the digital Indigent Register to support social inclusion.

SITA’s Acting Managing Director Gopal Reddy spoke about this year’s theme, noting that “it represents the next chapter of South Africa’s digital public service journey.”

“It signals a new era where technology becomes an active enabler of equity where service delivery is powered by real-time data and where our solutions are designed to meet the needs of all South Africans,” Reddy said.

The official mentioned that SITA wants to transform itself into a “strategic digital anchor for the state and a force for inclusive transformation.”

Article Topics

Africa  |  digital government  |  digital ID  |  digital payments  |  government services  |  South Africa  |  super app