Home Affairs Department Accelerates Digital Shift with Landmark Capitec Partnership to End Long Queues

Minister Leon Schreiber unveils a new digital partnership with Capitec Bank to expand Smart ID access and eliminate Home Affairs queues.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 11:36 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from TimesLIVE

Bridging the Service Gap Through Banking Infrastructure

In a move described as the "beginning of the end of long queues," Minister Leon Schreiber launched the first live bank branch under a new digital partnership model in Orange Farm on Monday. By partnering with Capitec, the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) intends to leverage the existing digital capabilities and national reach of the banking sector to serve South Africa’s 63 million citizens more efficiently. This expansion addresses a decade-long stagnation where bank-based DHA services were limited to only 30 branches nationwide.

The "Home Affairs @ home" Vision

The partnership is a cornerstone of a broader modernization strategy dubbed "Home Affairs @ home." Schreiber’s long-term vision involves a fully digital identity system where physical documents—such as birth and marriage certificates—are replaced by secure digital versions accessible via smartphones or computers. While this digital future is under construction, the banking partnership provides an immediate, practical solution to bring government services closer to where people already conduct their daily financial activities.

Combatting Identity Fraud and FATF Grey Listing

A primary driver for this transition is the urgent need to secure the national population register. Currently, approximately 16 million South Africans still rely on the green barcoded ID book, which the Minister identified as one of the most defrauded documents on the continent. Beyond protecting citizens from identity theft, strengthening these identity systems is a critical requirement for South Africa to be removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list.