16 million South Africans still using ‘most defrauded’ green ID books
The Department of Home Affairs is ramping up efforts to replace South Africa's green barcoded identity books with more secure smart ID cards.
Black News 
The Department of Home Affairs is ramping up efforts to replace South Africa’s green barcoded identity books with more secure smart ID cards, as government seeks to combat identity fraud and strengthen the country’s population management systems.
Speaking at an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Migration media briefing on Sunday, Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber described the green ID book as one of the most vulnerable identity documents in circulation.
Outdated security features
“The green ID is the most defrauded piece of identity document in South Africa,” Schreiber said.
He noted that studies have identified the green barcoded ID book as one of the most frequently targeted identity documents on the African continent due to its outdated security features.
“It has got a physical photograph that can be manipulated, exchanged or swapped. If you lose your green ID, or someone steals it, it can easily be manipulated by putting another photo in there,” he explained.
Schreiber also warned that advances in artificial intelligence are creating new opportunities for criminal syndicates to forge and manipulate identity documents, increasing the urgency of replacing older forms of identification.
According to the minister, approximately 16 million green ID books remain in use across South Africa.
“Our job is to replace those with secure smart IDs,” he said.
Expansion of Smart ID Services
To speed up the transition, Home Affairs has expanded its partnership with the banking sector, allowing citizens to apply for smart IDs at participating bank branches.
Schreiber said the department plans to significantly increase the number of participating branches.
“We want to get to 750 bank branches by the end of this year. We are live now in more than 178 branches throughout the country, and many of them are in rural areas where previously people did not have access to the services,” he said.
The expansion is expected to make smart ID applications more accessible while reducing pressure on Home Affairs offices.
New Population Register Planned
The smart ID rollout forms part of a broader government strategy to modernise identity management and strengthen migration controls.
Last week, government announced plans to establish an Intelligent Population Register containing biometric data for every person in South Africa. New regulations aimed at preventing the misuse of Traffic Registration Numbers (TRNs) will also be introduced.
The initiative is intended to improve migration management while safeguarding constitutional rights and human dignity.
Green ID Book to Be Phased Out
Government has confirmed that the green barcoded ID book will be progressively phased out as smart IDs become more widely available.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously stated that the green ID book has been exploited by undocumented immigrants and criminal syndicates to facilitate identity theft and other forms of fraud.
While no final deadline has yet been announced for the complete withdrawal of green ID books, Home Affairs has made it clear that transitioning all South Africans to smart IDs remains a key priority in improving national security and protecting citizens from identity-related crime.
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