Capitec, South Africa’s leading financial services group, has launched its in-branch Smart ID service in partnership with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA). Following a successful piloting phase, the service is now live in select branches, marking the beginning of a phased national rollout that will expand to 100 locations by mid-2026.
Capitec clients can now apply for a Smart ID via a dedicated in-branch Self-Service Terminal (SSTs) with no prior booking required. The seamless, paperless process takes less than five minutes to complete, and is fully integrated with DHA systems, enabling secure, real-time processing right in the heart of these communities. They will receive a notification when their ID is ready and can then collect it from the branch.
The dignity of access
For millions of South Africans, the fundamental right to an identity has long been a source of anxiety, requiring taxing journeys, long queues, and sometimes lost income. Minister of Home Affairs Leon Schreiber has noted that more than 4.4 million South Africans over the age of 16 have neither a green ID book or Smart ID card. The human cost of this exclusion is profound. The World Bank’s latest Global Findex report notes that lacking an ID effectively locks people out of the modern economy. Without an ID, people cannot vote, open a bank account or secure formal employment. Added to this, Findex data shows that the distance people travel for document applications is one of the largest barriers keeping them away from opportunities.
Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, said: “This partnership with Capitec marks a historic step in transforming how South Africans access their identity documents.
“By bringing Smart ID services into bank branches, we are moving closer to a future where people no longer have to travel long distances or stand in long queues to access this fundamental right. This is what effective public-private collaboration looks like.
“It uses innovation and national reach to ensure every South African can obtain the identity they need to participate fully in our economy and democracy, closer to where they live. This is our vision to deliver Home Affairs @ home, in action.”
Meeting this high demand in every corner of the country puts significant pressure on the Department of Home Affairs. With a nationwide network of 349 offices, the department continues to provide access to essential services, however only 190 offices are currently equipped to process Smart IDs. By working together, Capitec aims to provide the necessary support and remove the friction that has been preventing widespread access.
With more than 860 branches across suburbs, townships and rural areas, Capitec is uniquely positioned to extend access and help ease the pressure in the DHA offices that can issue Smart IDs. As the rollout expands, Capitec’s network will come to serve as a hub that simplifies services by bringing critical services under one roof.
“Our work with the DHA is about enabling access for all,” says Graham Lee, Group Chief Executive Officer of Capitec.
“An ID is a catalyst for economic participation. We serve close to half of South Africa’s adult population, and we know that time is our clients’ most valuable asset. By integrating Home Affairs services into our branches, we are using our scale and technology to shorten long journeys and help fill a real gap in underserved communities.”
Industry-leading tech
Capitec is the first bank to move beyond reliance on stationed Home Affairs officials. Instead, it has developed a proprietary digital integration, built on Amazon Web Services, that connects dedicated in-branch SSTs directly to DHA systems. This enables Capitec to scale the service quickly with strong stability and lower operational costs. The terminals are centrally managed so new features and critical security updates can be deployed rapidly.
This architecture is already proving its value. Capitec’s SSTs are designed to streamline everyday transactions by digitising and simplifying processes, reducing time spent in queues and returning valuable hours to clients.
“This is purposeful innovation,” says Lee. “By democratising access to essential identity documents, we support the government’s mandate for socio-economic transformation. This partnership also ensures every citizen has the chance to participate in the nation’s progress.”
Growing the value ecosystem
Consistent with Capitec’s promise of simplicity and transparency, there are no hidden fees. The application fee is R150, made up of the standard DHA fee of R140 and a Capitec service fee of R10 to cover logistics. Meanwhile, Capitec’s proprietary biometric technology means applications can be completed without paperwork.
“We are building an ecosystem where banking, connectivity and identity live side-by-side,” says Lee. “Our clients trust us with their money, their data bundles and connectivity, along with services that support their daily lives. Through this partnership with the DHA, we are honouring that trust by handing them the most important key to their financial future – their identity.”
