All people living in Gauteng can now apply for a Smart ID, according to the Gauteng Government.
Talk Radio 702 spoke to Albert Matsaung, Gauteng Provincial Home Affairs Manager, who said that only seven out of 31 Gauteng home offices in the province are not yet ‘connected’ for smart cards.
The new ID cards were previously only made available for those who lost their identification, and senior citizens (60 years and older).
“We are opening up for Gauteng province for the application of the Smart [ID] card. We have offices we have dedicated to smart cards, which the public can use,” Matsaung told 702.
South Africans will have to pay a fee of R140 to have their green barcoded ID books replaced with the new smart IDs.
The Department of Home Affairs has launched a Smart ID pilot programme with Standard Bank. Smart ID services from the banks will open to the public as soon as the pilot concludes.
Home Affairs has signed memorandum of understanding with ABSA, FNB, Nedbank, and Standard Bank to use the banks as distribution centres for the new ID cards.
