Absa and Department of Home Affairs launch SA’s first bank-based mobile unit for Smart ID renewal

• Expanded list of Absa branch sites for renewals unveiled
• New booking and tracking feature on the Absa Banking App introduce digital innovation for remote e-Home Affairs services

Absa and the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) have launched South Africa’s first bank-based mobile unit for Smart ID renewals, extending access to essential identity services beyond traditional DHA offices and participating bank branches.

The mobile unit which will initially operate in Gauteng and is designed to deliver selected Home Affairs services directly to remote, peri-urban, and underserved communities, reducing travel time, bridging the digital divide and expanding access through additional service channels. A list of new branch sites offering renewal services has also been introduced, and a digital booking feature on the Absa Banking App further allows customers to manage and track their application via the app.

The initiative builds on the longstanding collaboration between the DHA and the banking sector, launched in 2016 to broaden access to Smart ID and passport renewal services through participating bank branches as part of government’s multi-channel service delivery model.

Minister of Home Affairs, Dr. Leon Schreiber, said: “Absa's rollout marks another important milestone in our groundbreaking Digital Partnership with the banking sector and brings us one step closer to making Home Affairs @ home a reality. By making it easier for South Africans to replace the fraud-prone green ID book with the far more secure Smart ID Card, and through innovations such as Bank on the Move, we are bringing secure, convenient and dignified Home Affairs services closer to where people live and work than ever before.

Alongside the mobile unit rollout, 12 additional Absa branches have now been enabled to provide Home Affairs services, with an additional 60 branches expected to be added by the end of 2026. Services will be fully available at the following Absa branch locations from Monday, 20 July 2026: Rosebank Mall, Greenstone Mall and Tembisa Mall in Johannesburg, Menlyn Park in Pretoria, Waterfall Mall in Rustenburg, Claremont Cavendish Square in Cape Town, Cape Gate- Brackenfell, Kimberley City Centre branch, Vincent Park in KuGompo City (formerly East London), Nelspruit Crossing in Mbombela, Mall of the North in Limpopo and Pinetown in KwaZulu-Natal.

These branches will offer Smart ID card replacement services for existing customers and walk-in customers, including the replacement of lost, stolen, or damaged cards, as well as updates linked to changes in marital status. Existing Absa branches currently offering DHA services, including passport applications, will continue operating as usual.

Sitoyo Lopokoiyit, Chief Executive: Personal and Private Banking Pan-Africa at Absa Group said, “By leveraging our physical footprint alongside mobile capability, we are partnering to bring public services closer to communities. Our focus is always on understanding where customers experience friction in their daily lives and finding practical ways to make those experiences easier. This initiative allows us to use our footprint to help bring essential documentation processes closer to the communities and customers we serve.”

This collaboration supports the DHA’s broader objective of expanding its national footprint and improving access to identity services through a combination of physical, digital, and now mobile channels.