Digital identity system for South Africa

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced South Africa’s plans to invest in digital infrastructure to expand access to government services.

Presenting his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, 6 February 2025, Ramaphosa said this would include revamping the gov.za platform and launching a digital identity system.

“As we work to reform the public service and build the capability of the state, we will harness technology to transform the way government works,” he said.

“We will invest in digital public infrastructure to give South Africans access to government services, anytime, anywhere, through a relaunched gov.za platform.”

“At the heart of this transformation will be the implementation of a digital identity system,” Ramaphosa added.

He said these investments will transform the relationship between citizens and government and make government services “accessible to every person at a touch”.

The government’s plans to implement a digital identity system align with home affairs minister Leon Schreiber’s vision to modernise his department.

Schreiber announced plans to digitise Home Affairs’ operations to help fight identity fraud in South Africa.

He said his department’s current processes, which regularly require human intervention, create opportunities for fraud.

Because of this, he wants the Department of Home Affairs’ processes to become fully digital and more automated.

“Until such time as Home Affairs has been transformed into a digital-first department, these abuses will keep happening, and the system will remain offline,” said Schreiber.

In September 2024, Schreiber announced plans to launch a digital platform to ensure South Africans never have to queue at Home Affairs offices again.

Central to this is an end-to-end system that will handle all applications, adjudications, and communications between residents and Home Affairs.

This will also enable South Africans to access the department’s services through a secure portal with security features similar to those of online banking platforms.

This includes creating profiles for each citizen and visitor to the country using facial and fingerprint recognition technology, such as Face ID and fingerprint features commonly found on smartphones.

Schreiber added that, if done right, the system will free up staff to focus on more productive tasks.

“This would include devoting our staff to serving those who truly need it most,” he said.

“Including the poorest members of our society, people in rural areas, the 10% of South Africans who don’t yet use smart devices, and those exceptional or complicated cases that require more resources to resolve.”

Schreiber explained that the digital system will use a machine-learning-based risk engine to verify the completion of online ID, passport, certificate, and visa applications.

It will authenticate applicants, check for fraudulent documentation, conduct facial recognition checks, allow cashless transactions, and inform applicants of the outcome within seconds.

“No more standing in queues, no more waiting months or years for an outcome, no more being kept in the dark about the status of an application,” said Schreiber.

“And no more space for officials or syndicates to solicit bribes for a transaction to be processed.”

Once in place, Schreiber said the system would enable Home Affairs to deliver services to South Africans worldwide.