Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance (DA) welcomes the news that even more banks are joining the Home Affairs digital banking partnership. The addition of ABSA and Discovery Bank to Capitec, FNB and Standard Bank means millions more South Africans will soon be able to apply for their Smart ID or Passport from their phone or local bank branch.
This expansion will save countless hours otherwise lost in queues, and remove the need for costly travel to government offices – a breakthrough for rural communities, people with disabilities, and anyone balancing work and family commitments.
An Identity Document is the key to opportunity: from applying for jobs, social grants and student funding, to registering at a school, college or university. Removing the barriers to getting one is a direct boost to dignity, equality and economic participation. It is therefore a top priority to get a Smart ID into the hands of every South African citizen to help grow the economy and create jobs.
Under DA Minister Leon Schreiber, Home Affairs is proving that government can innovate and deliver. Over the next year, the total number of branches is expected to increase to 840, almost four times the number of existing Home Affairs offices that offer smart card ID services.
This is an example of the DA’s whole-of-society approach, which empowers communities to co-own solutions. Working together on public priorities allows for more coherent and strategic service delivery, with hundreds of new service points that would have taken decades for the government to build alone.
This move doesn’t just remove queues—it gives all South Africans dignified and equitable access to essential documentation.
This is the DA difference in action.
Regards
Adrian Roos MP
DA Spokesperson on Home Affairs