Standard Bank has announced that it has officially expanded access to Smart ID services to four new bank branches, adding to the growing list of locations where South Africans can pick up the card.
The group said that services are being done through the new bank-assisted model being rolled out by the Department of Home Affairs.
This new model will be rolled out in phases, with the first four Standard Bank branches being:
- Maponya Mall in Soweto
- Rosebank in Johannesburg
- Westgate in Johannesburg
- Parow in Cape Town.
According to the bank, these locations form part of the DHA’s New Bank Expansion and Digitisation Project, which introduces a modern operating model connecting banks directly to Home Affairs systems through a secure Digital API Gateway.
During the programme’s launch phase, Standard Bank will not charge customers for accessing the service at its participating branches.
Standard Bank said customers can apply in a branch to convert their green ID book to a Smart ID Card or to replace a lost, stolen, or damaged Smart ID Card.
Applications are completed with trained staff assisting clients, with biometric capture conducted on-site.
The DHA aims to expand access to identity document services while strengthening the integrity of South Africa’s national identity system.
In 2025, the DHA committed to reaching 100 bank branches by the end of the financial year—the end of March 2026—bringing the total to 1,000 branches over the medium term.
The push for new branches is a priority for the DHA, which is pushing the transition from the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book to the Smart ID Card.
Standard Bank’s announcement joins similar moves by Capitec, which also launched 7 new Smart ID branches on Monday, 9 March.
Capitec said it would launch the service—operated through self-help terminals—at more branches in the coming weeks, aiming to reach 100 branches by mid-2026.
FNB has also talked up the development of its Smart ID services.
While the group has not announced any new branches as yet, it said it has the scale to service over 240 branches in the next year as part of its national expansion plan.
The bank said it plans to add more branches every week going forward.
For now, all eyes will be on the DHA to see it if it will meet its 100-branch goal by the end of March 2026 as promised.
