By Selloane Ntshonyane
- Home Affairs beat its goal of reaching 100 bank branches by March to help people get their Smart ID cards.
- First National Bank joined the digital system as the third bank to help process ID applications at its local branches.
The Department of Home Affairs has reached more than 110 bank branches across the country through its new digital partnership with banks. This means the department has gone over its own goal of reaching 100 branches by the end of March.
First National Bank (FNB) has now joined the system. It is the third bank to take part in the programme. Capitec Bank has 77 branches offering the service and Standard Bank has 30. FNB has started with three branches so far.
This new system lets people apply for Smart ID replacements at bank branches instead of going to Home Affairs offices. So far, more than 25,000 applications have already been processed.
The department said the system is quick and can process more than one application every minute. In some cases, people can finish their applications in about five minutes.
One of the biggest changes is that people no longer need to bring paperwork or make bookings. The system uses fingerprints and facial recognition to help make the process faster and safer.
This project is part of the Home Affairs @ home programme. It aims to make services easier to get, especially for people who live far from Home Affairs offices. The department said it plans to grow even more in the coming years.
The goal is to reach 1,000 bank branches by 2029. Other banks like Absa and Nedbank are also expected to join soon. For many people, this could help reduce long queues.
Pictured above: A self-service smart ID machine at a bank.
Image source: @Leon_Schreib
