Capitec’s Rapid Smart ID Rollout Targets Eradication of Fraud Prone Green Books

Capitec activates smart ID terminals at 76 branches across South Africa, issuing 10,000 cards in two weeks to replace fraudulent green ID books.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 17, 2026, 7:32 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from MyBroadband

Strategic Banking Partnership Accelerates National Identity Document Modernization

The Department of Home Affairs has found a powerful catalyst for its modernization agenda through a new digital partnership model with Capitec. Since signing the agreement in August 2025, the bank has rapidly deployed self service terminals (SSTs) to 76 branches, a move that effectively doubles the number of bank locations providing these services under the decade old eHomeAffairs pilot. This rollout is specifically designed to eliminate the aging green ID book, which has increasingly become a vulnerability exploited by fraudsters. By integrating these services into retail banking environments, the state aims to streamline the transition to more secure, live capture smart ID cards.

Geographic Expansion Corrects Regional Imbalances in Civil Service Access

For years, the availability of smart ID services was heavily skewed toward Gauteng, which hosted over 56 percent of participating bank branches despite representing only a quarter of the national population. Capitec’s new rollout seeks to rectify this disparity by aligning branch services more closely with provincial population densities. Notably, 22 of the new locations are situated in less populated or rural provinces that were previously neglected. This includes the first ever bank based smart ID services for the Free State and North West provinces, which now host five operational branches each.

Early Uptake Figures Outpace Decade Long Banking Industry Benchmarks

Initial data shared by Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber indicates a massive surge in public engagement with the new system. In the first 14 days of operation, the initial 46 Capitec branches, alongside four Standard Bank locations, issued 10,000 smart IDs. To put this into perspective, FNB, which previously held the record for the most issuances over ten years, averaged approximately 2,150 cards per month. Capitec's aggressive expansion strategy aims to maintain this momentum, with a stated goal of reaching between 200 and 300 locations by the end of the 2026 calendar year.