Additional banks to expand passport and smart ID services
Major banks in South Africa aim to extend passport and smart ID services across more branches, contingent on the Department of Home Affairs’ (DHA) approval. Absa, FNB, and Nedbank have prepared plans for expansion and stand ready to activate 12 additional sites.
Current passport and smart ID pilot phase and future expansion
Since 2016, 30 bank branches across South Africa have offered Home Affairs services through a pilot project. This initiative tested public-private partnerships (PPP) with major banks, but the pilot phase has been extended several times.
MyBroadband reported, FNB’s head of external communications and PR, Sizwekazi Mdingi, revealed that the deadline for the pilot project has been extended to September 2024.
“We are currently in a pilot phase with the Department of Home Affairs, aiming to expand the service to further branches soon,” Mdingi stated.
“The memorandum of understanding (MOU) has recently been extended, and we hope to move into the next phase of the partnership by the end of September.”
Banks poised for activation
MyBroadband added, Absa, FNB, and Nedbank are keen to roll out these services to more locations.
With banks having prepared additional branches for activation, they await DHA’s go-ahead to implement the expansion fully.
Current availability and distribution
As previously reported by The South African, currently, the distribution of passport and smart ID services across provinces is as follows:
Gauteng:
Absa Centurion Lifestyle Centre
Absa Sandton City
Discovery Bank Head Office
FNB Centurion Lifestyle Centre
Standard Bank Killarney Mall
FNB Glen Shopping Centre
FNB Lynnwoo
Standard Bank Jubilee Mall
FNB Merchant Place
Nedbank Constantia Kloof
Absa Key West Krugersdorp
Investec Bank Sandown
Nedbank Arcadia
Nedbank Rivonia
Standard Bank Centurion Lifestyle Centre
Standard Bank Simmonds Street
Western Cape:
Absa Stellenbosch
Absa Towers
FNB Greenpoint
Nedbank St George’s Mall
Standard Bank Canal Walk
Standard Bank Mitchell’s Plain Promenade
KwaZulu-Natal:
FNB Cornubia
Nedbank Durban North
Standard Bank Kingsmead
Eastern Cape:
Absa Port Elizabeth
Standard Bank Newton Park
Mpumalanga:
Nedbank Nelspruit
Limpopo:
FNB Burgersfort
Northern Cape:
Standard Bank Kathu Mall
These branches are part of a protracted pilot phase, yet they illustrate the banks’ commitment to enhancing public access to passport and smart ID services.
Do you believe expanding passport and smart ID Home Affairs services to more bank branches will significantly improve accessibility and convenience for South Africans?
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