South Africa Expands Smart ID Access: Bank Branch Partnership

South Africans seeking a more convenient way to apply for and receive their Smart IDs and passports will soon witness a significant expansion in accessibility. While currently limited to 30 branches across major banks, the Department of Home Affairs anticipates a notable increase in this number as the long-standing eHome Affairs pilot with banks is set to conclude at the end of March 2024.

Recent Developments: In late 2023, Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi confirmed that the department had received assurance from The Banking Association of South Africa regarding the readiness of participating banks to sign partnership agreements. This development is expected to pave the way for the expansion of services, with over 40 additional bank branches poised to offer Smart ID and passport application facilities.

Background and Pilot Program: Launched in 2015, the eHome Affairs pilot program marked a significant collaboration between the Department of Home Affairs and various banks. The initiative aimed to provide an alternative channel for citizens to engage with the department and avail themselves of its services. Through this program, banking customers gained the ability to book appointments on a digital platform, eliminating the need to physically visit a Home Affairs office for Smart ID and passport applications.

The pilot has been operational for eight years, witnessing periodic upgrades to enhance its efficiency. Over 3.5 million South Africans have utilized the bank branch system for their Smart ID and passport needs.

Pilot Extension and Rollout Challenges: Originally scheduled to conclude in March 2023, the pilot program faced delays, leading to an extension until September 2023. However, even this deadline was not met, prompting another extension to March 2024. Despite the setbacks, the Department of Home Affairs remains committed to the initiative, with plans for the rollout of services in additional bank branches.

Branch Distribution: As of now, the 30 participating branches are distributed among various major banks, with Standard Bank leading the way with 9 branches. FNB follows with 7 branches, Absa and Nedbank each contribute 6 branches, Investec Bank and Discovery Bank offer 1 branch each. The details of these branches are as follows:

Standard Bank:

1. Kathu Mall, Shop 62 Village Walk Shopping Centre Kathu, Hendrik Van Eck Street, Postmasburg – 053 723 9610
2. Centurion, Cnr Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Rd Centurion Lifestyle Centre – 012 671 4042
3. Killarney Mall, Killarney Mall, Riviera Rd, Killarney, Johannesburg – 011 486 0002
4. Kingsmead, 1 Kingsmead Way, Durban – 031 308 7900
5. Jubilee Mall, Shop no. 47 Jubilee Mall corner Jubliee and Harry Gwala Road Temba Hammanskraal – 011 351 7814
6. Canal Walk, Shop 599, Upper Level, Canal Walk Shopping Center, Century Blvd, Century City – 021 529 8216
7. Mitchell’s Plain Promenade, Corner AZ Berman Road And Morgenster Road, Mitchell’s Plain – 0860 123 000
8. Simmonds Street, 5 Simmonds St, Selby, Johannesburg – 011 631 1624 / 011 639 4205
9. Newton Park, 1 Pickering St Newton Park Port Elizabeth – 041 404 8319

FNB:

1. Burgersfort, Shop 55 Twin City Complex Dirk Winterbach Street Burgersfort – 072 457 8619 / 013 216 0098
2. Centurion Lifestyle Centre, Cnr Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Rd Centurion Lifestyle Centre Centurion – 066 460 0530 / 012 653 2661
3. Cornubia, Shop U56, Cornubia Boulevard, Cnr N2 Highway & M41, Durban – 031 308 7900
4. Glen Shopping Centre, Shop U2, The Glen Shopping Centre, Glenvista – 061 495 4441
5. Greenpoint, Shop 1 & 2, ERF 176300, Media Quarter, Somerset Road, Greenpoint – 087 345 6090
6. Lynwood, Shop L04 Upper-level Cnr Simon Vermooten & Lynnwood Rd Equestria Pretoria – 066 460 0130
7. Merchant Place, 4 Merchant Place c/o Rivonia and Freedman Dr Sandton – 066 290 3307

Nedbank:

1. Arcadia, Shop 25, Nedbank Plaza, Beatrix Street, Arcadia – 066 460 0122
2. Constantia Kloof, 16 Constantia Boulevard Constantia Kloof Roodepoort – 011 639 4208
3. Nelspruit, Shop 65 The Crossing Shopping Centre c/o Samora Machel and Madiba Drive Nelspruit – 081 336 5941
4. Rivonia, 135 Rivonia Road, Sandown, Sandton – 066 290 3257
5. St George’s Mall, Shop 3 The Box, St Georges Mall c/o Riebeeck Street – 0800 555 111
6. Durban North, 57 Adelaide Tambo Dr, Durban North, 4051 – 0800 555 111

Absa:

1. Centurion Lifestyle Centre, Shop 36 c/o Lenchen and Old Johannesburg Road Centurion Lifestyle Centre Centurion – 066 460 0356
2. Key West Krugersdorp, Shop 80 Key West Shopping Centre cnr Paardekraal Drive and Viljoen Street Krugersdorp – 079 900 6457
3. Sandton City, Cnr Rivonia Road and 5th Street Sandton – 066 290 3314
4. Port Elizabeth, 682 Cnr. Bagshaw & Govan Mbeki Avenue, Port Elizabeth – 041 404 8319
5. Stellenbosch, Oude Bloemhof Building, Cnr Plein And Ryneveld Streets, Stellenbosch – 021 809 2311
6. Towers, Cnr Commissioner And Troye Streets, Johannesburg – 011 350 4111

Other Banks:

1. Discovery Bank Head Office, 1 Discovery Place, c/o Rivonia Road and Katherine Street, Sandton – 0860 998 877
2. Investec Bank Sandown, 100 Grayston Dr Sandown Sandton – 011 286 7000

Conclusion: As the eHome Affairs program continues its evolution, South Africans can look forward to an expanded network of bank branches offering streamlined Smart ID and passport application services. The ongoing collaboration between the Department of Home Affairs and banks is a testament to the commitment to providing citizens with convenient and accessible solutions for their identification needs. Stay tuned for updates as the program progresses, bringing enhanced efficiency and convenience to the application process for Smart IDs and passports across South Africa.