Where you can get your Smart ID card once Home Affairs reopens applications

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Where you can get your Smart ID card once Home Affairs reopens applications​

South Africans can ease the process of getting a Smart ID card or passport by applying for it at one of 26 bank branches across the country.

The plastic Smart ID is replacing the conventional paper ID booklet and offers several technological advantages over its predecessor.

This includes built-in public key infrastructure (PKI), as well as the on-chip storage of biometric data, which means fingerprints can be matched to the card offline.

 

[ToxicBunny]

So the same 26 bank branches its been for the last how many years?

 

[pedruid]

The ehome DHA portal is currently closed because of Covid19.

 

[ToxicBunny]

The ehome DHA portal is currently closed because of Covid19.

Cos you can get covid 19 from the portal you know

 

[mypetcow]

The ehome DHA portal is currently closed because of Covid19.

We wouldn’t want the server to get sick now would we? It’s just common sense to disable IT infrastructure so it can social distance itself for a while.

My sneaky suspicion is that the ehome software is so trivial that they have no way to keep it online and accept applications while at the same time only leave them on pending until they know when they can actually process them and only then flip the switch and have them automatically make bookings etc. Better turn the server off entirely to be safe

 

[supersunbird]

So the same 26 bank branches its been for the last how many years?

So how many years is many years in your mind? Is it like 1 or 1 & half year?

2018 it was 13 branches:

All the bank branches where you can get your Smart ID and passport

There are several banks you can visit to get your ID and passport from in South Africa.

mybroadband.co.za

2019 even less at 12:

All the bank branches where you can sign up for your Smart ID card

Various bank branches around South Africa include a Home Affairs Live Capture service which allows them to facilitate the issuance of Smart ID cards.

mybroadband.co.za

 

[RandomGeek]

Still closed after the Prez's speech or are they open now - still closed I guess, nothing was mentioned?

 

[ToxicBunny]

So how many years is many years in your mind? Is it like 1 or 1 & half year?

2018 it was 13 branches:

All the bank branches where you can get your Smart ID and passport

There are several banks you can visit to get your ID and passport from in South Africa.

mybroadband.co.za

2019 even less at 12:

All the bank branches where you can sign up for your Smart ID card

Various bank branches around South Africa include a Home Affairs Live Capture service which allows them to facilitate the issuance of Smart ID cards.

mybroadband.co.za

Ahhh then I stand corrected...

I'm just jaded cos the list of branches in kzn is monumentally limited..

 

[Swa]

So the same 26 bank branches its been for the last how many years?

This is useless for most till they roll it out to non major centres. If I lose my ID I'm screwed. They should just contract with Capitec which have had the infrastructure in place for decades now.

 

[supersunbird]

This is useless for most till they roll it out to non major centres. If I lose my ID I'm screwed. They should just contract with Capitec which have had the infrastructure in place for decades now.

What required infrastructure have Capitec had? The real infrastructure required, being unused floor space (which the big 4 have as their legacy branches require less people and there is thus unused space) for the DHA employees and the public and the equipment and furniture is not in abundance in Capitec branches, as Capitec has been efficient in that area.

I thought most South Africans are now in urban areas, so major centres are important for coverage.

South Africa - urbanization 2013-2023| Statista

In 2023, over 68.82 percent of South Africa's total population lived in urban areas and cities.

www.statista.com

 

[Swa]

What required infrastructure have Capitec had? The real infrastructure required, being unused floor space (which the big 4 have as their legacy branches require less people and there is thus unused space) for the DHA employees and the public and the equipment and furniture is not in abundance in Capitec branches, as Capitec has been efficient in that area.

I thought most South Africans are now in urban areas, so major centres are important for coverage.

South Africa - urbanization 2013-2023| Statista

In 2023, over 68.82 percent of South Africa's total population lived in urban areas and cities.

www.statista.com

Capitec has had biometrics for ages. The others have just recently started playing catchup.

 

[Johnatan56]

Capitec has had biometrics for ages. The others have just recently started playing catchup.

Pretty sure I had to use biometrics when I first opened an FNB account in 2015.
Most of the other banks are probably using it for the last couple of years as well, biometrics was the buzzword at one point.

 

[Martin_P]

ABSA Durban Pinetown has been an upcoming branch for the at 5 years lol.

South African Born Citizens only still I guess.

 

[ToxicBunny]

What required infrastructure have Capitec had? The real infrastructure required, being unused floor space (which the big 4 have as their legacy branches require less people and there is thus unused space) for the DHA employees and the public and the equipment and furniture is not in abundance in Capitec branches, as Capitec has been efficient in that area.

I thought most South Africans are now in urban areas, so major centres are important for coverage.

South Africa - urbanization 2013-2023| Statista

In 2023, over 68.82 percent of South Africa's total population lived in urban areas and cities.

www.statista.com

I think its a combination of floor space etc at the banks, but the biggest hold up has been the DHA employees themselves as far as I understand it. There are not enough DHA employees for this to be rolled out big bang, and they don't seem to be fixing that problem.

 

[pinball wizard]

Wasn't born here. Still can't get one. When will that be resolved?

 

[ToxicBunny]

Wasn't born here. Still can't get one. When will that be resolved?

When we all get new ID numbers?

 

[supersunbird]

I think its a combination of floor space etc at the banks, but the biggest hold up has been the DHA employees themselves as far as I understand it. There are not enough DHA employees for this to be rolled out big bang, and they don't seem to be fixing that problem.

You are correct about the employee bit, they have to employ people. I was just addressing Swa about what Capitec lacks specifically, that is less of a factor with the other banks.

 

[supersunbird]

Pretty sure I had to use biometrics when I first opened an FNB account in 2015.
Most of the other banks are probably using it for the last couple of years as well, biometrics was the buzzword at one point.

Capitec used biometrics when I opened my account in Aug 2008.

 

[supersunbird]

Capitec has had biometrics for ages. The others have just recently started playing catchup.

Sure, but that is not how this works, they don't use bank equipment, they use DHA equipment. The only thing the banks really provide is floor space.

 

[pinball wizard]

When we all get new ID numbers?

So, I'll die carrying my green book. Thanks.