According to the 2024 Smile ID Digital Identity Fraud in Africa report, South Africa’s green ID books have a fraud rate of 34%, the highest in Africa. By comparison, ...

South Africa’s green ID book has been used as the country’s main identity document for 44 years, during which time it has only received a handful of minor security upgrades.

South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has a massive fraud problem, with many workers at Gauteng-based businesses carrying fraudulent asylum documents, work permits, and other forms of ...

The slow pace means green ID books will likely remain valid for many years in South Africa. This will allow many people to wait for the new online system to kick in before applying.

Home Affairs announced its plans in 2013 to discontinue the old South African identity books in favour of securer smart IDs. Almost immediately, disinformation spread about their impending invalidity.

South Africa is set to soon start phasing out the classic green ID book in favour of the smart ID cards. A 2024 report shows that the green ID book is the identity document most targeted by ...

Fraud relating to South Africa's green ID books hit 34% in 2023, sparking renewed efforts to migrate to smart ID cards. June 2, 2025. Mbuso Kunene 1 minute read.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) introduced smart ID cards in July 2013 with the intention of phasing out the green ID booklets from 2018 to 2022. However, only 21 million Smart IDs had been ...