South Africa launches smart ID bank locator

The South Africa — Department of Home Affairs (South Africa) launched an online service on 3 August 2026 that allows South Africans to locate the nearest participating bank branch offering Smart ID Card applications. The service, available at myhomeaffairsonline.dha.gov.za, is part of the department's Digital Partnership with the banking sector, which began on 9 March 2026. As of the launch, 372 bank branches across the country participate, including branches of Standard Bank, Absa Group, Capitec Bank, and Standard Bank. More than 500,000 South Africans have applied for Smart ID Cards through participating bank branches since the partnership began. Minister Leon Schreiber launched the service during a media event with Standard Bank in Cape Town, urging citizens to replace the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book with the more secure Smart ID Card. The online locator will be updated automatically as more branches join, and the department expects hundreds more branches by the end of 2026.