Pretoria:With the Local Government Elections fast approaching, South Africans who are eligible to vote and still require identity documents (IDs) are urged to apply for and collect their documents without delay.

According to South African Government News Agency, registered voters can only make their mark on Election Day – 4 November – if they possess an acceptable identity document, including a smart ID card, green barcoded ID book, or valid temporary identity certificate. Other forms of identification, such as driver’s licenses, passports, student cards, or photocopies of ID documents, are not accepted for voting purposes.

Home Affairs Minister, Dr. Leon Schreiber, emphasized the importance of having a valid ID for democratic participation in the upcoming elections. He called upon South Africans to take advantage of improved services to apply for and collect their IDs promptly. The department has rolled out digitalized Smart ID services at bank branches across the country, expanding its Digital Partnership with Absa and launching the first bank-based Home Affairs mobile unit to enhance service access.

South Africans now have access to around 1,000 locations where they can apply for a Smart ID card, significantly increasing the number of access points from two years ago. The digital partnership is set to expand further before the year ends, including applications for adult and minor passports, first-time Smart ID card applications, and home delivery of identity documents directly to citizens' homes.

Through these efforts, the department aims to replace the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book with the secure Smart ID Card, providing digitalized identity services that ensure security and dignity for all.