Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber has said that his department wants a full digital ID system operational by the 2029 general elections, and hopes to stop producing green ID books from 2026.
This is part of a drive to digitise the Department of Home Affairs’ systems and ultimately invalidate the green ID book, as it has become a significant vector for fraud.
No date has been set to terminate the green ID book’s status as a valid form of identity, as Schreiber said that can only be done once everyone has access to smart IDs.
The digitisation of South Africa’s civic systems is a joint project under the Government of National Unity, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s second-term administration.
Communications minister Solly Malatsi announced the launch of South Africa’s Digital Transformation Roadmap in May 2025, which envisioned a digital public services platform called MyMzansi.
The publication of the roadmap was accompanied by the establishment of the Digital Service Unit (DSU), a team located within the Presidency.
This team quietly went to work on developing MyMzansi, and Malatsi unveiled a working prototype of the platform in a live demo at the Global Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Summit in November.
MyMzansi’s first working service was a smartphone application and digital driving licence card, including an online licence renewal system.
Malatsi said the MyMzansi prototype app showed how a driver’s licence renewal can be completed in minutes, with credentials verified and details updated — all connected to existing national systems.
When Malatsi first unveiled the MyMzansi platform earlier this year, he said it formed the core of government’s digital transformation plan.
“The essence of that is the establishment of a single digital identity for all South Africans through the MyMzansi app, which will give you a digital identity and a centralised system to access government services,” he said.
Malatsi added that the platform will be zero-rated, enabling citizens to access it even when they have run out of mobile data.
The MyMzansi Digital Transformation Roadmap
Malatsi explained that the Digital Transformation Roadmap is centred around four core initiatives: a digital identity system, data exchange, digital payments, and trusted digital channels.
“The digital identity system will allow South Africans simple ways of verifying themselves and accessing services remotely,” he said.
“A data exchange framework will eradicate the side effects that exist in government, and allow for greater efficiency and coordination in how government operates.”
The third initiative is establishing a digital payment system providing universal access to secure, low-cost payment options.
“Fourthly, a single, zero-rated digital service platform where citizens can access all government services and information,” said Malatsi.
The MyMzansi Digital Transformation Roadmap is divided into two phases: the first, running from 2025 to 2027, and the second, from 2028 to 2030.
Phase 1 will deliver key DPI components with a focus on social protection, digital identity, and unified digital channels.
It includes a pilot of the Digital ID, Data Exchange, and the first government payment and service integration projects.
Phase 2 will scale the technologies developed in Phase 1 across healthcare, education, and business services.
Home Affairs @ Home
While the DSU continues to work on South Africa’s digital ID system, Schreiber and the Department of Home Affairs are implementing their “Home Affairs @ Home” strategy.
This involves expanding access to smart ID and passport services to hundreds more bank branches across South Africa.
During the past year, banks have confirmed that they will roll out services to at least 153 branches before 31 March 2026.
This is a significant increase from the current footprint of 32 branches provided by only some major banks. The plan is for Home Affairs to be available in at least 1,000 bank branches by March 2029.
All of South Africa’s major banks have also supported Schreiber’s initiative to integrate Home Affairs services into their apps.
Schreiber has explained that Home Affairs wants to be able to deliver smart IDs directly to people’s homes or offices, like banks do with credit and debit cards.
“This model will reduce the number of routine applicants visiting offices,” said Schreiber.
“This will free up much-needed capacity within the department to become a more mobile organisation that systematically documents all undocumented South Africans.”
However, much work remains to be done. He recently revealed that roughly 4.4 million South Africans over the age of 16 don’t have a green ID book or smart ID card.
This is in addition to the remaining 16 million green ID books still in use that must be replaced by a smart ID card.
Schreiber previously warned that the green ID book is the single biggest fraud risk in South Africa. 34% of fraud cases in Africa involve this green ID book.
Home Affairs has encouraged everyone with a green ID book who can migrate to a smart ID to do so, to reduce their risk of becoming a victim of identity theft and fraud.
Schreiber said once every citizen has a digital ID, there will be significantly less fraud and much easier access to documents.