Last we heard, Capitec was closing in on 100 Smart ID-enabled branches, massively expanding the Department of Home Affairs’ reach around the country. That was in April. Fast forward to now, September, and the bank has more than doubled that figure. As of this week, Capitec now offers Smart ID services at 242 branches nationwide.
Capitec… retains the lead
You’ll find at least six branches capable of replacing or ordering a brand-new Smart ID card in every province, though most are more prepared than that. KwaZulu-Natal is the most endowed of the lot, with 56 such branches on offer. Gauteng is in close second, with 53 Smart ID-ready branches. Northern Cape, however, only offers six.
Those 242 branches make up more than half of all the Smart ID-enabled bank branches dotted around the country. The Dept. of Home Affairs reckons there are now 457 participating branches across Absa, Standard Bank, FNB, and of course, Capitec. You can find ’em all here, if you’re not a Capitec customer.
Capitec’s service promises to be the speediest of the lot, claiming to take only five minutes to submit a Smart ID application. That’s down to the bank’s Self-Service Terminals (SST), which digitises the process. Capitec claims that customers only need R150 to apply, with no documents required. At the time of writing, Capitec can only help replace a green ID book or a Smart ID card. It cannot assist with first-time applications (yet).
The Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, hopes to expand this digital partnership with the banks before the year is out. The current goal is 750 Smart ID-enabled bank branches before 2027 — an easy goal at this rate. Combined with Home Affairs offices, this will give Saffas access to more than 1,000 locations to get a Smart ID. That’s quite the step-up compared to just two years ago, with nearly five times more access points available.
