NATIONAL NEWS - South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs is accelerating its digital transformation programme aimed at improving service delivery, strengthening national security and supporting economic growth.

This was revealed by Leon Schreiber when he tabled the department’s 2026 Budget Vote in the National Council of Provinces on Tuesday.

Schreiber said the broader Home Affairs ecosystem, comprising the Department of Home Affairs, the Border Management Authority and Government Printing Works, has spent the past two years implementing reforms under the “Home Affairs @ home” programme.

The reforms are designed to shift services away from a system reliant on physical offices and paper-based processes towards digital and biometric platforms.

A key milestone has been the rapid expansion of Smart ID replacement services. Within eight weeks of launching a new digital partnership model with banks, the department extended the service to 167 bank branches nationwide, a significant leap from the previous manual system, which reached only 30 branches over a decade.

More than 127 000 South Africans have already made use of the new service, with applications now taking as little as five minutes at participating branches.

The department has since increased its target, aiming to roll out Smart ID replacement services to 750 bank branches by the end of 2026, with particular focus on rural and underserved communities.

The upgraded system removes the need for paperwork, advance bookings and long queues by relying on biometric verification technology.

Plans are also underway to expand the digital platform to include first-time ID and passport applications, as well as doorstep delivery of documents.

An improved online booking system has been introduced following concerns that the previous platform had been exploited by individuals blocking and reselling appointment slots. Schreiber said the new system has been secured against such abuse and is expected to stabilise fully within weeks.

Home Affairs is also developing a Digital Identity system, described by the Minister as “foundational national infrastructure” for the digital economy.

Draft regulations under the Identification Act have already been published for public comment, with submissions closing on 6 June.

The proposed Digital ID system will enable citizens to securely access Home Affairs services and documents via smartphones, while also allowing remote identity verification.

Schreiber linked the department’s digital drive to efforts to strengthen national security, noting that the expanded Smart ID rollout will help phase out the Green ID book, widely regarded as one of the most defrauded documents on the continent and a major source of identity theft and illegal immigration.

Last year alone, the department issued a record four million Smart IDs.

The department’s Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) system, introduced in October last year for tourists from China, India, Indonesia and Mexico, was also highlighted as a key security measure.

The ETA system captures biometric data of foreign travellers and uses machine learning and facial recognition technology to verify identities and travel documents. According to Schreiber, more than 4 500 visa applications have already been declined through these checks.

The system is expected to be expanded to additional countries and visa categories in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, the Border Management Authority has announced preferred bidders for a R12.5 billion public-private partnership project to overhaul South Africa’s six busiest land ports of entry, which handle 80% of border traffic.

The upgraded infrastructure will incorporate digital border systems and implement the One-Stop Border Post concept recently approved by Parliament.

Schreiber also positioned Home Affairs as a key economic enabler, particularly in relation to tourism and international investment.

The ETA system now allows qualifying tourists to obtain visas digitally within 24 hours and apply online for extensions, a move expected to unlock new tourism markets and support job creation.

He noted that inefficient visa processes had previously cost the tourism sector billions of rand, underscoring the importance of the department’s digital reforms. - SAnews.gov.za  

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