Two reasons why some South Africans don’t have smart ID cards

It has been 44 years now that green ID books have been used in South Africa. One might think the reason for the reluctantly to change to a smart ID is possibly some form of emotional attachment to the document. However, some have revealed the real reason why.

Millions of South Africans are still using green ID books. Newzroom Afrika took to the streets on 14 November 2024 to find out from some citizens why they still don’t have smart IDs. Those interviewed said they hadn’t parted with their ID books because of two main reasons; long queues and cost.

WHY DO SOME SOUTH AFRICANS STILL DON’T HAVE SMART ID CARDS?

Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, the few citizens given the chance to share their reasons for not having smart IDs mentioned two reasons. They expressed that there should be no cost for IDs and that the long queues at Home Affairs put them off. One of them said there are usually long queues at Home Affairs and you still don’t get assisted “even if you pay someone to hold the line for you.”

Another citizen bemoaned the required payment for the smart ID. She complained: “I’m not willing to pay R140 to change it. They changed the system, so they need to give me the first one for free, and then if I lose it, I’ll pay for it. I’m not willing to pay because they changed the system.”

THE IMPORTANCE OF SECURITY

The Department of Home Affairs frequently reminds citizens that there are better security features in the smart ID card. These features help improve the security of their identity. According to MyBroadband, a 2024 report by Smile ID Digital Identity Fraud revealed in their Know-Your-Customer checks identified fraud. It detected fraud in about 34% of incidents where the green ID book used during the accessing of different services.

The South African reported a warning from Home Affairs to SASSA beneficiaries on 26 October 2024. The Department said beneficiaries without smart ID cards are vulnerable to identify theft and fraud.

OLD DOCUMENTS REMAINING VALID COULD INCREASE FRAUD

Smile ID further stated that the green ID book remaining valid after switching to the smart card could increase fraud. The report said: “Logistical issues around properly discarding the older IDs can lead to them falling into the wrong hands.”

HAVE YOU CHANGED TO A SMART ID YET?

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