Cape town: South Africa's Department of Home Affairs is accelerating its digital transformation programme aimed at improving service delivery, strengthening national security and driving economic growth.
According to South African Government News Agency, Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber tabled the department's 2026 Budget Vote in the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday. He detailed the department's efforts over the past two years to implement reforms under a programme called 'Home Affairs @ home'. The initiative seeks to transition services from a paper-based system reliant on physical offices to digital and biometric platforms.
The Minister announced that the department had rapidly expanded its Smart ID replacement services to 167 bank branches nationwide within eight weeks, thanks to a new digital partnership model with banks. Previously, the manual system had only reached 30 branches over a decade. Over 127,000 South Africans have already benefitted from the digital Smart ID replacement service, with applications now taking as little as five minutes at participating branches. The department aims to expand the service to 750 bank branches by the end of 2026, focusing on rural and underserved areas.
The upgraded system is designed to eliminate paperwork and long queues by utilizing biometric verification technology. Plans are underway to expand the digital platform to include first-time ID applications, passport requests, and doorstep delivery of documents. An enhanced online booking system has also been introduced to prevent exploitation by individuals selling appointment slots.
Home Affairs is further developing a Digital Identity system, described by Schreiber as foundational national infrastructure for the digital economy. Draft regulations for this system have been published for public comment, with submissions closing on 6 June. The proposed Digital ID will allow citizens to securely access services and documents via smartphones and enable remote authentication.
The Minister also tied the department's digital transformation to efforts in strengthening national security. The expanded Smart ID rollout aims to phase out the Green ID book, a document often associated with identity theft and illegal immigration. The department issued a record four million Smart IDs last year.
The Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, launched in October for tourists from China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico, was highlighted as a key security initiative. This system records biometric data for foreigners entering South Africa and uses machine learning and facial recognition to verify identities. The Minister noted that the system has denied visas to over 4,500 applicants through document verification.
The ETA is set to expand to more countries and additional visa categories soon. The Minister also announced a R12.5 billion public-private partnership project to rebuild South Africa's six busiest land ports of entry, incorporating digital systems and the recently approved One-Stop Border Post concept.
Schreiber positioned Home Affairs as an economic enabler, especially through tourism and international investment. The ETA system allows qualifying tourists to obtain visas digitally within 24 hours and apply online for extensions. Schreiber noted that inefficient visa processes had previously cost the tourism sector billions, and the new system could unlock new markets and create jobs.
