The department of home affairs issued a record 4,002,964 smart ID cards in 2025, marking the highest annual delivery rate in its history. The figure represents a 17% increase on the 3,427,468 smart IDs issued in 2024, itself a record year. The 2025 total is also about 1.3-million higher than the number of smart IDs issued in 2022 and 2023.
Home affairs said the milestone reflects steady progress in its push towards digital transformation, aimed at improving efficiency and expanding access to services. The department’s vision of “Home Affairs @ home” focuses on reducing reliance on paper-based systems and improving turnaround times through technology upgrades. Central to the improved performance has been closer co-ordination with the Government Printing Works, which produces the smart ID cards, and targeted investment in critical digital systems.
One is the online verification service (OVS), which home affairs said had previously been underfunded and misused by some external users. The department said repairs and upgrades to the OVS have significantly improved system uptime and the performance of the population register at home affairs offices. This has reduced delays and enabled more South Africans to apply for and receive smart IDs.
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Home affairs minister Leon Schreiber said the record delivery figures showed the impact of sustained investment in digital systems. “The milestone of delivering more than four million smart IDs in a calendar year for the first time demonstrates how our commitment to digital transformation is expanding inclusion and access at a scale never seen before,” Schreiber said. He said smart IDs were far more secure than the green barcoded ID books they are meant to replace, which have long been criticised for being vulnerable to fraud.
“Thanks to the ongoing digital transformation of home affairs, more than four million more people gained the ability to securely open a bank account, access employment and obtain social grants in 2025,” he said. The accelerated rollout of smart IDs forms part of the department’s medium-term development plan. Home affairs estimated the green barcoded ID book is about 500% more vulnerable to fraud than the smart ID, making its replacement a key priority for service delivery and national security. To further expand access, the department said it is in the final stages of preparation for a new digital partnership with the banking sector.
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