Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber stated that the department is accelerating the rollout of smart ID cards through banks and digital systems as part of efforts to combat identity fraud.
The move comes amid growing concerns over the continued use of South Africa’s green barcoded ID books. According to VerifyNow, a South African identity verification platform, impersonation fraud involving green ID books has increased by 400% year-on-year, with fraudsters increasingly using artificial intelligence to exploit weaknesses in the legacy system.
Schreiber warned that the green ID book remains highly vulnerable to fraud, identity theft, and document laundering.
“Our digital partnership with the banks is rapidly moving South Africa towards replacing the green ID book once and for all. The green ID book is intricately linked to issues of illegal migration, smuggling, and other offences because it is the core pathway that is used to commit identity theft,” he said.
The department has indicated that expanding access to smart ID cards through banking partners and digital platforms forms part of its broader strategy to modernise civic services and strengthen the integrity of South Africa’s identity management system.
VOC News
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