New smart ID cards, passports for South Africa

Recently appointed Minister of Home Affairs, Leon Schreiber, has announced the update of South Africa’s Smart ID cards and passports. The updates will take place in the coming years and involves enhanced security features.

Improved security features

Schreiber did not provide a specific date for the changes. But he said that the changes will be effected ‘during the current administration’. Unless an unforeseen early election takes place, the current administration will serve until the next South African general elections in 2029.

During the Department of Home Affairs’ 2024/2025 budget vote speech on Monday, Schreiber announced that South Africa will be receiving updated Smart ID cards and passports.

“Both the passport and smart ID card will be refreshed and updated in order to enhance the security features of these documents, with the aim of building trust by more countries and organisations worldwide.”

Leon Schreiber, Minister of Home Affairs

What are the security issues with current passports and IDs?

There are many reports in the media about the South African passport’s vulnerability to fraud, according to MyBroadband. Former Minister of Home Affairs, Aaron Motsaledi, emphasised the negative impact of passport fraud on South African travellers. Motsaledi said that ‘every single South African is a victim because we are now forced to apply for visas when we visit countries such as the United Kingdom’. He added that this was not the case before syndicates denigrated our passports.’

Motsoaledi’s comments came after the sentencing of a Pakistani national for corruption and bribing of twelve Home Affairs officials in Krugersdorp to assist in producing fraudulent passports.

How do syndicates create illegal passports?

The syndicates typically create fraudulent passports or ID cards using the identification information of recruited South Africans. They recruit citizens who are unlikely to travel abroad and willing to sell their identities. The syndicates work together with corrupt Home Affairs officials.

At the time the official takes the applicant’s photo, the corrupt department officials help to swap out the photos with the foreign national. The photo features the face of the criminal using the document. Therefore, border officials are unlikely to flag the documents as fraudulent.

The Department of Home Affairs (DHA) immediately cancels all fraudulent documents (passports and IDs), making them useless to the person who holds them.

The DHA is intensifying its fight against syndicates involved in selling identities of South Africans to foreign nationals.

Do you think the government will be able to stop identity theft and fraud?

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