JOHANNESBURG - The familiar green ID book is facing its final chapter as the Department of Home Affairs moves ahead with plans to replace it entirely with the more secure Smart ID card.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced on Thursday that production of the green ID book will come to an end on 31 March 2027.
But that is not the final deadline for South Africans still using the document.
From 31 March 2028, the green ID book will officially no longer be recognised as a valid form of identification, giving millions of South Africans a 12-month window to make the switch.
The move forms part of government's broader push to expand access to digital and smart identity services.
Schreiber said independent research had found that the green ID book is among the most fraud-prone identity documents on the African continent because it is paper-based and relies on a manual photograph that can be manipulated.
“The green ID book sits at the core of the scourge of identity theft in the country,” Schreiber said.
He also said the continued use of the document contributes to the production of fraudulent identity papers, including those used by people seeking to obtain South African documentation illegally.
According to Schreiber, this makes the continued use of the green ID book incompatible with the requirements of a modern identity system.
The department's transition plan has a firm date.
On 31 March 2027, the machines used to produce green ID books will be permanently shut down and decommissioned.
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Before that happens, Home Affairs plans to expand access to Smart ID cards to groups that have previously faced limitations, including naturalised citizens, permanent residents and South African citizens living abroad.
Schreiber said the goal is to ensure that every eligible person can access the more secure Smart ID.
What about the 14.7 million people still using Green ID books?
They will not be left with only days to make the change.
Home Affairs says approximately 14.7 million South African citizens and permanent residents still hold only a green ID book.
Once production ends in March 2027, these document holders will have a further 12 months to apply for a Smart ID card before the green ID book ceases to be recognised.
First-time applicants and people aged over 60 will remain exempt from the Smart ID application fee.