Absa has become the fourth major South African bank to join the Department of Home Affairs’ new digital partnership model. This collaboration will expand access to Smart ID and passport services by making them available in more bank branches and through the bank’s digital app. This new partnership overhauls an existing pilot project that Absa has been a part of since 2016.
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This initiative follows similar agreements with Capitec, FNB, and Standard Bank, all of whom have joined the program in recent days. The goal of this digital-first approach is to eliminate long queues at Home Affairs offices and make essential public services more accessible nationwide. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber welcomed Absa’s participation, highlighting its role in delivering services more broadly across the country.
The previous model, which began in 2016, was expensive and inefficient, requiring Home Affairs to duplicate staff and hardware inside bank branches. The new model, however, is designed to leverage technology to expand these services to hundreds of new locations, including both urban and rural areas.
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Absa’s co-interim chief executive, Christine Wu, affirmed the bank’s commitment to supporting the government’s goal of broadening access to these vital services. With this new partnership, customers can expect faster and easier application processes for Smart IDs and passports, marking a significant step toward a more integrated and digital public service delivery system in South Africa.
