Absa and the department of home affairs have launched South Africa’s first bank-based mobile unit for smart ID renewals — a vehicle that will take identity services directly into remote, peri-urban and underserved communities, starting in Gauteng.
The unit, unveiled at Absa’s Tembisa branch on Wednesday, marks a new phase in the digital partnership between home affairs and the banks — a programme that is scaling at remarkable pace.
Smart ID services have expanded from 214 locations to 541 in just four and a half months, home affairs minister Leon Schreiber said at the launch, with about 750 participating bank branches expected by the end of the year.
“For years, the greatest obstacle to replacing the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book has been limited access to the alternative, in the form of the smart ID,” said Schreiber, calling the mobile unit “another major step towards home affairs @ home — bringing secure identity services closer to where South Africans live, work and bank”.
According to the department, about 16 million South Africans still carry the green ID book, which it wants phased out entirely in favour of the more secure card.
As part of the roll-out, 12 additional Absa branches began offering smart ID renewal services on 20 July, with a further 60 expected by year-end.
No first-time ID applications
In the initial phase, eligible customers can replace lost, stolen or damaged smart ID cards, convert green ID books to smart IDs and update cards after a change in marital status — with appointments booked and applications tracked through the Absa banking app. First-time ID applications are not yet part of Absa’s offering and still require other channels.
The service runs on home affairs’ secure digital API gateway, which connects participating banks directly to the department’s systems while home affairs “remains the custodian of all national identity data”. The model replaced an older approach that required the costly duplication of home affairs staff and hardware inside bank branches.
Read: Green ID’s days numbered as smart ID roll-out accelerates
“Identity is fundamental to economic participation,” said Absa CEO Kenny Fihla. “This partnership allows us to use Absa’s infrastructure, digital capability and national footprint to help make an essential public service more accessible.”
Absa joins a crowded field: Capitec has rolled out self-service smart ID terminals, while Standard Bank launched its in-branch service fee-free in February — the mobile unit is Absa’s differentiator. The bank did not say what its services cost, nor did it publish the mobile unit’s schedule or route plan for Gauteng communities. — © 2026 NewsCentral Media
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