Standard Bank has expanded its Smart ID service network to 100 branches across South Africa, marking a major milestone in its partnership with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and improving access to identity services in rural and underserved communities.

For residents of towns such as Ugie in the Eastern Cape, obtaining a Smart ID previously meant travelling considerable distances, sometimes as far as Mthatha. Such trips could require residents to take time off work, pay transport costs and spend hours travelling simply to access essential government services.

The expansion aims to reduce these barriers by making Smart ID applications available through Standard Bank’s existing branch infrastructure.

“Reaching 100 Smart ID-enabled branches is about far more than hitting a number. It represents a meaningful step towards making essential government services more accessible, convenient and inclusive for all South Africans, regardless of where they live,” said Marius le Roux, Head of Fraud Operations, Client Experience and Risk Execution at Standard Bank South Africa.

Le Roux said the initiative demonstrates the potential of public-private partnerships to address practical service-delivery challenges, particularly in communities where residents previously had to travel long distances to apply for or replace identity documents.

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber said the milestone forms part of the department’s broader Digital Partnership strategy aimed at bringing government services closer to where people live, work and bank.

“Every new branch in underserved communities makes it easier for South Africans to replace the fraud-prone green barcoded ID book with the secure Smart ID Card,” Schreiber said.

Standard Bank has processed close to 50,000 Smart ID applications since introducing and expanding the service, highlighting growing demand for more convenient access to Home Affairs facilities.

The bank now plans to nearly double the number of Smart ID-enabled branches before the end of 2026. It also expects to process more than three times the total number of applications handled to date by year-end.

Standard Bank and the DHA are also working towards introducing additional Home Affairs services through the bank’s branch network before the end of 2026.

Le Roux said the expansion demonstrates the benefits of collaboration between government and the private sector, adding that Standard Bank will continue investing in systems, processes and customer experience as application volumes increase.