More banks to extend passport and smart ID services
Banks in South Africa plan to offer passport and smart ID services at more branches, contingent on approval from the Department of Home Affairs.
Leading banks in South Africa plan to expand passport and smart ID services to additional branches, pending approval from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
Absa, FNB, and Nedbank have prepared plans for expansion and stand ready to activate 12 additional sites.
Current passport and smart ID pilot phase and future expansion
Since 2016, 30 bank branches across South Africa have offered Home Affairs services through a pilot project. This initiative tested public-private partnerships (PPP) with major banks, but the pilot phase has been extended several times.
MyBroadband reported, FNB’s head of external communications and PR, Sizwekazi Mdingi, revealed that the deadline for the pilot project has been extended to September 2024.
“We are currently in a pilot phase with the Department of Home Affairs, aiming to expand the service to further branches soon,” Mdingi stated.
“The memorandum of understanding (MOU) has recently been extended, and we hope to move into the next phase of the partnership by the end of September.”
Banks poised for activation
MyBroadband added, Absa, FNB, and Nedbank are keen to roll out these services to more locations.
With banks having prepared additional branches for activation, they await DHA’s go-ahead to implement the expansion fully.
Current availability and distribution
As previously reported by The South African, currently, the distribution of passport and smart ID services across provinces is as follows:
Gauteng:
- Absa Centurion Lifestyle Centre
- Absa Sandton City
- Discovery Bank Head Office
- FNB Centurion Lifestyle Centre
- Standard Bank Killarney Mall
- FNB Glen Shopping Centre
- FNB Lynnwoo
- Standard Bank Jubilee Mall
- FNB Merchant Place
- Nedbank Constantia Kloof
- Absa Key West Krugersdorp
- Investec Bank Sandown
- Nedbank Arcadia
- Nedbank Rivonia
- Standard Bank Centurion Lifestyle Centre
- Standard Bank Simmonds Street
Western Cape:
- Absa Stellenbosch
- Absa Towers
- FNB Greenpoint
- Nedbank St George’s Mall
- Standard Bank Canal Walk
- Standard Bank Mitchell’s Plain Promenade
KwaZulu-Natal:
- FNB Cornubia
- Nedbank Durban North
- Standard Bank Kingsmead
Eastern Cape:
- Absa Port Elizabeth
- Standard Bank Newton Park
Mpumalanga:
- Nedbank Nelspruit
Limpopo:
- FNB Burgersfort
Northern Cape:
- Standard Bank Kathu Mall
These branches are part of a protracted pilot phase, yet they illustrate the banks’ commitment to enhancing public access to passport and smart ID services.