South Africa Plans to Phase Out Green ID Books, Digital ID Planned

The South African government has announced plans to stop issuing the old green ID book from 2026 and eventually phase it out entirely. The move is part of a shift toward the newer smart ID card and a planned digital ID system.

Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber revealed that approximately 4.4 million South Africans aged 16 and older do not have any form of ID—neither a green ID book nor a smart ID card. This presents a major hurdle for accessing basic services such as opening bank accounts or applying for jobs and grants.

The Department of Home Affairs intends to make the green ID book invalid once all citizens have access to the smart ID card. To speed up the rollout, the department is expanding services through bank branches and a mobile program called Home Affairs @ Home.

Currently, about 16 million green ID books are still in circulation. The Government Printing Works can produce a maximum of about 5 million smart ID cards per year. At that rate, the last green IDs could be replaced by 2028.

A digital ID system, called MyMzansi, is also in development and is scheduled to launch by 2027.