South Africa's green ID books to be phased out

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in South Africa is significantly delayed in its plan to replace green ID books with smart ID cards. Initially intended to be completed by 2022, the slow adoption rate means that many South Africans will continue using their green ID books for years.

The smart ID card, introduced in July 2013, offers numerous benefits over the green ID book. However, despite the initial goal to phase out the old IDs by 2018-2022, only 21 million smart ID cards had been issued by December 2023, covering just over half of the estimated 38 million ID holders. The DHA's current issuance rate suggests it will take an additional seven years to reach their target.

Challenges contributing to the delay include the slow rollout of necessary equipment to DHA offices and delays in expanding ID card application services through bank branches. Currently, this service is available at only 30 branches and has helped over 665,000 people since its 2016 pilot launch.

Naturalised citizens face additional challenges, as they can only receive green ID books, which are no longer printed at most DHA offices. This situation has led to accusations of unfair treatment and calls for investigation.

Moreover, there have been significant delays in applicants collecting their smart ID cards, with half a million cards uncollected at DHA offices as of October 2023. Despite these issues, the DHA aims to meet its annual target of issuing 2.5 million smart ID cards in the 2023/2024 financial year.