Big problem South African banks have with old green ID books

South Africa’s major banks may not accept damaged green ID books as verification of a person’s identity, potentially creating big problems for naturalised citizens who are still not allowed to apply for Smart ID cards.

In late June 2024, former Department of Home Affairs (DHA) minister Aaron Motsoaledi caused panic when he announced plans to declare the green ID book invalid.

ID books and smart ID cards are currently both valid forms of identification in South Africa.

Motsoaledi said that he thought the department had waited long enough to decommission the old green barcoded ID after launching the smart ID card as the ID book’s successor in 2013.

“Very soon, we will make an announcement that we will keep one, and the green barcode ID book becomes invalid,” Motsoaledi said.

Former DHA deputy director-general Thulani Mavuso explained to 702 that one reason for eliminating the green ID book was that it was “very susceptible” to theft and fraud.

“The smart ID card is a safer option, so the guys who hold onto the green ID book are actually making themselves more vulnerable to financial crimes,” Mavuso said.

Unlike paper-based ID books, the Smart ID card comes in durable polycarbonate to physically protect it against fraud — including through alterations or duplication.

It also boasts a “Match on Card” feature, which allows fingerprints to be checked locally using its built-in microchip without the need for a central database connection.

There is no doubt that the Smart ID Card is a superior document in terms of security.

Banks are also keenly aware of the security deficiencies of the ID book.

In response to the reports of the ID books’ impending demise, several people have encouraged those who qualify to get Smart ID cards.

This was because their experience showed banks were becoming hesitant to accept green ID books for identity verification, particularly older ones that have been damaged.

South Africa’s green ID books have been in use since the 1960s and those who still have their original decades-old document might have it hanging by a thread.

MyBroadband asked all South Africa’s major banks about their policies on accepting ID books to verify customers’ identities.

Biometrics linked with DHA — but readable ID book remains important

Absa, Capitec, and FNB said that the primary and preferred means of confirming a customer’s identity was a fingerprint scan that linked up with the DHA’s biometrics database.

Absa managing executive for everyday banking’s integrated channels, Tshiwela Mhlantla, said this facilitated a seamless verification of customer identity.

“This means that the primary form of customer authentication becomes the customer fingerprint rendering the ‘damaged’ ID book supplementary — for as long as the ID book is legible, has clear customer details with the image visible and is intact,” said Mhlantla.

FNB external communications and public relations head Sizwekazi Mdingi said the bank also accepted green barcoded IDs as long as the ID Number, full name and surname, date of birth, date issued, and country of birth were clearly visible.

Importantly, the ID photo must also be clear and secured with its plastic film. This will likely reduce the possibility that the original photo was altered or replaced.

FNB also has its own fingerprint and facial recognition systems running in parallel with the DHA’s system.

Capitec’s criteria for accepting damaged green ID Books were similar to FNB’s.

In addition, it requires that the ID book should not be excessively torn, have missing pages, or feature any alterations or tampering.

Naturalised citizens and permanent residents left in limbo

None of the banks mentioned special exceptions for naturalised citizens and permanent residents, who might have an old and damaged green ID book but cannot apply for a Smart ID card.

These customers are forced to go to one of the remaining DHA offices that still issue green ID books.

“The onboarding process is the same for both citizens and non-citizens who possess a South African Identification Document,” said Absa’s Mhlantla.

It remains to be seen whether the DHA’s new minister, Leon Schreiber, plans to open Smart ID card applications for naturalised citizens.

Schreiber is a member of the Democratic Alliance (DA), which lodged a complaint with the Public Protector in 2023 over the fact that naturalised citizens were still not allowed to get Smart ID cards a decade after the new document was launched.

That came two months after the department’s director-general Tommy Makhode said that system modifications were underway to facilitate support for naturalised citizens’ applications.

Makhode himself said the DA had brought the issue to his attention “over and over and over again”.