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.

Fresh leadership brings changes to the Department of Home Affairs, with a major overhaul planned for online South African ID applications. The post Updated information: 2024 online South African ...

South Africans face far-reaching challenges if they don’t get a smart ID card before the government invalidates the green ID book.

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.

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 ...

The Department of Home Affairs wants to phase out green barcoded ID books in South Africa to limit widespread ID fraud and identity theft. October 31, 2024. Corné van Zyl 2 minutes read.