At a bustling bank branch in Johannesburg, a queue of people clutching thin, green-covered booklets waits for a new, plastic card. The scene illustrates a warning that has just been sounded by the Department of Home Affairs: anyone still using the old green bar-coded identity document must obtain a smart ID card within the next two years.
The warning came from Thulani Mavuso, Deputy Director-General for Operations at Home Affairs, in an interview with Newszroom Afrika. Mavuso said the department is already moving to phase out the vulnerable green ID book, a paper document that criminals can easily alter, but the exact deadline will be set by the minister at a later date. “The message is that we have to collect those documents because in the next two years, they will not be able to use their green ID book,” he said.
A smart ID card is a chip-embedded identity document that stores personal data more securely than the old green book. The department has issued about 34 million smart ID cards since the programme began, including roughly 25 million reissues for people who already had a card, and 9.7 million new applications from young adults turning 16. Yet more than 341 000 of those cards remain uncollected, some waiting for almost a decade.
To make collection easier, Home Affairs has partnered with participating bank branches, which have issued about 700 000 smart ID cards between March and the second week of September. This network expands the places where citizens can apply for and pick up their new IDs, reducing the need to travel to a Home Affairs office.
What the deadline means for small businesses
For owners of small enterprises, the deadline is not just a bureaucratic footnote. Many everyday transactions, opening a bank account, registering for tax, or verifying a customer’s identity, now require a valid smart ID card. If an employee or a client still presents a green ID book after the cut-off, the document will be rejected, potentially delaying payroll, supplier payments, or sales that rely on identity verification.
Mavuso also noted that the department can issue a temporary identification certificate for people who have lost or damaged their IDs. This certificate can be used for voting and, in some cases, for basic transactions while a replacement smart ID is processed. However, the certificate is not a long-term substitute for the smart card.
The department has introduced measures to prioritise the elderly, people with disabilities and children in the collection process. Mavuso urged parents to collect the smart IDs that have already been issued to their 16-year-old children, rather than leaving them at Home Affairs offices.
In practical terms, small business owners should audit the identity documents held by their staff and customers. If anyone still relies on a green ID book, they should be encouraged to apply for a smart ID now, rather than waiting for the final deadline. Early application also reduces the risk of missing the cut-off due to processing delays or uncollected cards.
As the smart ID becomes the sole legal document for many financial and civic interactions, having the correct ID will be critical for accessing banking services, signing contracts, and complying with regulatory requirements. The two-year window offers a clear timeline for businesses to ensure their workforce and client base are ready for the change.
Home Affairs has been phasing out the green, bar-coded ID book in favour of the smart ID card for well over a decade, and previous deadlines to retire the old document entirely have been pushed back more than once as the department worked through a backlog of applications. Without a valid ID document, South Africans can run into practical problems opening a bank account, registering to vote or applying for a passport, which is why the department has repeatedly urged holders of the older book to make the switch well before any cut-off date. The Department of Home Affairs’ own smart ID card guidance covers who qualifies and how to apply. For related coverage, see this site’s Regulatory and Policy coverage.
