Government is yet to completely phase out the green barcoded ID book despite having replaced it with a newer and improved smart ID card more than a decade ago. Home Affairs officials say they haven’t issued any communication on when the former will finally be retired.
According to the department, the green ID book is still held by many South Africans and is a legally accepted document. Security experts, however, say a research report by Smile ID showed that South African ID fraud tops the continental list and this calls for government to discontinue green barcoded IDs.
The green barcoded ID book is mandated for citizens as well as permanent residents over the age of 16. But it has proved to be highly vulnerable to theft and fraud, hence it’s been replaced by smart IDs.
The roll-out commenced in July 2013 and they’re reportedly five times less likely to be used for fraud than the green book. Over 21 million cards have been issued since the rollout.
Fraud statistics showed a significant increase in impersonation fraud, money mulling and false documentation. Gauteng accounted for 60% of these incidents. KwaZulu-Natal recorded 17% and the Western Cape 8%.
“It is important for govt to discontinue green barcoded ID books. We are number one in Africa, we, meaning South Africa are number one in identity document fraud. It is important for SA to be able to deal effectively with the crime of fraud that you ensure that you use technology for verification that has biometrics amongst other things so that you can then be able to, when you go to store, that ID can be scanned. I am assuming and know that it will be connected to the Home Affairs national identification system. It will be able to bring up your face as well as all the other biometrics that are being loaded onto the smart card,” says Andy Mashaile, security strategist.
Experts say security needs to be tightened with fraudsters now gravitating towards biometric fraud.
“80% of the identity fraud attacks happened just towards the end of 2023. Is there a new technology that can be used to enhance the security of the digital ID? Yes, by March 2024 government had indicated that there was going to be a digital identity that was going to be made available to all people in SA so that we can then be able to identify people be them South Africans, be them people of foreign region, so that we can then be able to have everyone else on the data base for identity purposes, also linking it with the SADC systems. There are 500 million people in Africa who don’t have valid forms of verification and it is against this background that for us to be able as a country to stem the tide of fraud and to ensure that people don’t steal other people’s identities, we migrate from the green barcoded ID book to smart IDs,” Mashaile adds.
Mashaile has warned those still using the green barcoded ID book to always keep exact track of where it is and to go through bills and statements with a fine-tooth comb.
Home Affairs officials couldn’t respond to questions forwarded to them regarding the phasing out of the old form of identification, except for indicating that they haven’t issued any communication on when they’ll be retired.
