Over 4.4 Million South Africans Still Without IDs, Home Affairs Pushes Digital Fix

A Growing Identity Crisis

More than 4.4 million South Africans aged 16 and older remain undocumented, according to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber. The staggering figure, shared in response to a parliamentary question, reveals how deeply the issue cuts across communities, affecting citizens from every racial and economic background.

The absence of a valid ID doesn’t just mean missing out on paperwork it often locks people out of opportunities many take for granted: access to banking, employment, education, healthcare, and social grants.

Why So Many Are Still Undocumented

Schreiber explained that the number comes from the National Population Register, which recorded over 4.4 million individuals who have never been issued a green ID book or a Smart ID card. Many of these cases stem from logistical barriers, long queues at Home Affairs offices, or challenges in rural and under-resourced areas where documentation services are limited.

For years, Home Affairs has battled criticism over backlogs, system downtime, and limited staff capacity problems that have left millions waiting months for essential documents.

Digital Shift: “Home Affairs @ Home”

To tackle the crisis, Schreiber has doubled down on the department’s digital transformation drive. Under the Home Affairs @ Home initiative, South Africans will soon be able to apply for and receive their Smart IDs through easier and faster digital platforms.

The plan includes expanding services to 1 000 bank branches, introducing digital banking app access, and offering doorstep courier deliveries. The aim is to make ID access as convenient as online shopping a bold shift toward modernising one of the country’s most burdened departments.

“This model will allow the department to become a more mobile organisation that systematically documents all undocumented South Africans,” Schreiber said.

Setting Performance Targets

The department’s Annual Performance Plan targets the issuance of 2.75 million Smart ID cards this financial year, including both first-time and re-issued documents. It also promises to process 90% of new applications within 54 working days and 95% of re-issues within 47 days a major efficiency goal for an institution often plagued by delays.

Looking Ahead

If successful, Home Affairs @ Home could mark a turning point in how South Africans interact with government services moving from brick-and-mortar queues to digital convenience.

But as with most large-scale government projects, the challenge lies in execution. For now, millions remain in bureaucratic limbo waiting for the day they can officially call themselves documented South Africans.

{Source:IOL}

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