Contrary to a message doing the rounds, green identity books aren’t facing end of life in March 2018.
The Department of Home Affairs has issued a statement distancing itself from the message about the lifespan of the green ID books coming to an end on 31 March 2018.
“No such announcement has been made by the department,” the statement reads. “We wish to make it clear that the green barcoded ID book remains a legal form of identification and will continue to be until such time that the Live Capture System is rolled out to all Home Affairs offices to enable South Africans to apply for Smart ID cards at their nearest offices.
“The department has developed a plan to systematically phase out the green ID book and ultimately consolidate the restoration, common citizenship, identity and dignity to South Africans.
“To this end, we call on South Africans to apply for Smart ID cards at any of the 180 offices that are equipped with the Live Capture System.
“In addition, the Department has established a partnership with FNB, Standard Bank, Nedbank and ABSA to create an online portal where clients can lodge their application without visiting a Home Affairs office.”
