Capitec Bank, South Africa’s largest bank by customer numbers, has emerged as the biggest banking partner in South Africa’s push to move Smart ID services closer to customers, with 242 branches now offering applications for ID replacements.

The expansion forms part of a digital partnership between the Department of Home Affairs and commercial banks that has reached 457 participating branches in just five months.

Capitec has the widest coverage, with Smart ID-enabled branches across all nine provinces. KwaZulu-Natal leads with 56 branches, followed by Gauteng with 53 and the Western Cape with 36.

The bank has 30 participating branches in the Eastern Cape, 20 in Mpumalanga, 19 in Limpopo and 13 in the Free State. North West has nine, while the Northern Cape has six.

Capitec leads bank-based Smart ID rollout

The service remains limited to Capitec customers and is currently available for Smart ID card replacements and the replacement of green ID books.

Capitec’s self-service terminals do not require customers to make a prior booking. An application costs R150($9.37), including the Department of Home Affairs’ R140($8.75) fee and a R10($0.62) Capitec service charge for logistics.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the banking partnership has helped reduce processing times and cut the department’s reliance on back-office verification.

About 38,500 Smart ID applications have exceeded the department’s standard turnaround time, although Schreiber said many were affected by customer errors, including online applications that were not followed by an office visit to complete the process.

The department is also working with Government Printing Works and its courier provider to address possible delays in printing and dispatching cards.

Home Affairs targets 1,000 bank branches

The department aims to have Smart ID services available at 750 bank branches by the end of the year and 1,000 branches over the medium term.

Other banks are expanding their networks. Standard Bank currently has 118 participating branches, while FNB plans to increase its network from 20 branches to 240 nationwide by December 2026. Absa has 15 branches listed and plans to add about 60 more this year.

Capitec’s scale gives it an important role in the rollout, with the bank operating about 860 points of presence across South African suburbs, townships and rural communities.

Home Affairs plans to eventually expand the banking service beyond Smart IDs to passports and other key documents. The longer-term goal is to integrate Home Affairs services into banking apps and support courier delivery, advancing Schreiber’s vision of bringing more government services directly to citizens’ homes.