South Africa advances broader digital identity and public services ecosystem

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has launched a new portal that seeks to further ease access to Smart ID services across the country. The platform at My Home Affairs Online will make it easier for users to locate bank branches offering Smart ID services close to them, according to a recent government announcement.

This comes as South Africa advances an integrated digital services ecosystem to redefine how citizens interact with the government. Launched early this month, the new platform follows recent efforts to expand the number of bank branches that offer Smart ID services under a Digital Partnership with Home Affairs.

Last month, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced the addition of Absa bank to the network, which is intended to increase the number of persons who own a smart ID. The network now includes 372 participating bank branches, through which more than half a million South Africans have accessed Smart ID services.

“This new online service makes it easier than ever for South Africans to find their nearest participating bank branch and switch to the secure Smart ID Card. Every reform we implement should make our services easier to access, and this is another practical step towards achieving that goal,” the minister is quoted as saying.

The latest move supports South Africa’s ongoing digital transformation objective, which is to align government services with private sector infrastructure and make it possible for citizens to get secure, trusted and convenient access to a gamut of services.

Immigration modernization continues with ETA launch

The Smart ID initiative advances the immediate goal of replacing South Africa’s green barcoded ID book, but it also forms part of Home Affairs’ broader digital modernization program, which includes border management and immigration.

Recently, President Cyril Ramaphosa inaugurated the Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) system during an event at the OR Tambo International Airport. He described the new biometrics-based visa issuance system as the cornerstone of the country’s digital immigration architecture.

The ETA was piloted for citizens of four countries when South Africa hosted the G20 summit at the end of 2025. Now, the government says it will be expanded to many more countries, and will include work and study visas, among others.

Schreiber described the ETA as intended eventually to become the “single-entry point and central platform for an end-to-end digital immigration system” for the country.

MyMzansi DPI roadmap as the foundation

Taken together, the Smart ID expansion, ETA rollout and planned digital ID reforms illustrate Home Affairs’ role as the identity foundation of South Africa’s MyMzansi Digital Public Infrastructure roadmap. This is a blueprint that seeks to revolutionize digital service access in South Africa through a national digital ID whose regulatory readiness is expected next month, a secure data exchange platform which is being piloted, digital payments as well as shared foundations for digital services.

Home Affairs sits at the center of the identity component, with the department planning a biometric-based Intelligent Population Register as part of efforts to streamline civil registration and put in place a dependable citizen database.

Article Topics

digital government  |  digital public infrastructure  |  government services  |  immigration  |  MyMzansi  |  South Africa