For many residents in Buffalo City Metro, applying for an identity document still means long queues, system outages and multiple trips to home affairs offices.
But a pilot allowing selected bank branches to process Smart ID services has finally come to the metro.
Kidd’s Beach resident Amanda Panyaza said she had avoided applying for years because of the difficulties at home affairs offices.
“I’ve always been lazy to go stand in line at home affairs,” she said.
“Most of the time you wait there for hours, and sometimes you arrive only to find their systems are offline.”
This week, she collected her ID at the Standard Bank branch in Oxford Street in KuGompo City in a matter of minutes.
The branch is the first in the metro to offer the service.
While it could not be confirmed, it is hoped that the service could soon be extended to other banks in the metro.
“I made my appointment through the Standard Bank app and did everything online,” she said.
“I just went to the branch to collect. It took two minutes and I was out.”
The service forms part of a partnership between banks and the department of home affairs, aimed at easing pressure on government offices and improving access to identity services.
For now, the system is limited to replacing lost, stolen or damaged Smart ID cards, as well as converting green barcoded ID books into Smart ID cards. First-time applications are not yet included.
While the initiative promises shorter waiting times, access remains limited to those able to use digital platforms and reach participating bank branches.
We are scaling with caution because this service is new to us
— Unathi Maqalekane, Standard Bank provincial executive head
Standard Bank provincial executive head Unathi Maqalekane said the rollout would be expanded across the Eastern Cape in the coming weeks.
“We are scaling with caution because this service is new to us,” he said.
Branches in Lusikisiki, Mthatha, Qonce, Bizana, Port St Johns, Humansdorp, Graaff-Reinet and Komani are among those expected to be included.
For many in rural areas and townships, however, distance, data costs and digital access may still pose barriers.
Maqalekane said the system connected banks directly to home affairs through a secure digital platform, allowing documents to be processed and collected in a controlled environment.
“This partnership allows us to bring convenience closer to our customers while also improving security,” he said.
The bank said it would not charge customers for using the service during the initial rollout phase.
Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber described the initiative as part of broader efforts to modernise the country’s identity system and reduce fraud.
“By securely connecting trusted institutions such as banks directly to home affairs systems, we are expanding access to Smart ID services while strengthening the integrity of SA’s national identity system,” he said.
The department has prioritised phasing out the green barcoded ID book in favour of the Smart ID card, which is considered more secure.
While the new system may ease pressure on some home affairs offices, it is unlikely to replace traditional services in the short term, particularly in areas where access to banking infrastructure remains uneven.
For residents like Panyaza, however, the change is immediate.
“It’s easy — you don’t have to sit there the whole day,” she said.
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