Big Win for Capitec Customers as Bank Overshoots Its Smart ID Target
- Capitec opened 30 new Smart ID branches in its first week alone, far outpacing its own targets and covering all nine provinces across South Africa
- For the very first time, residents in the Free State and North West can access Smart ID services at a bank branch near them
- Around 16 million South Africans still carry the old green ID book, and this rollout is designed to fast-track the switch to Smart IDs
Capitec customers across South Africa have something to cheer about. The bank not only delivered on its promise to bring Smart ID services to its branches, but it also blew past its own targets before the first week was even done.
Source: Facebook
On Monday, 9 March 2026, Capitec and Standard Bank officially launched in-branch Smart ID services. It is part of a new partnership with the Department of Home Affairs. Within days, 34 bank branches across all nine provinces had gone live. That was more than double what the department had aimed for.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber had set a target of 17 branches for the week. The country ended up with 34. Capitec was responsible for the bulk of that growth. The bank drew on its network of more than 860 branches to reach corners of the country that other banks and Home Affairs offices left behind.
A decade in the making
Home Affairs first piloted Smart ID and passport services at bank branches a decade ago. The department initially worked with a handful of major banks. Around 30 branches participated nationwide, and each one needed a Home Affairs official physically stationed on-site. Progress was slow, and access remained uneven.
PAY ATTENTION: stay informed and follow us on Google News!
That changed when Home Affairs announced banks would be given direct access to departmental systems through a secure Digital API Gateway. Several banks, including Capitec, African Bank and TymeBank, signed up for the expanded initiative.
According to a report by BusinessTech, Capitec is the first bank in the country to move beyond the old model. For the first time ever, residents in the Free State and the North West can access Smart ID services through a bank branch.
Source: Facebook
Reaching the unreached
During the launch event in Orange Farm, Gauteng, Capitec CEO Graham Lee said the bank’s reach into townships, rural towns and underserved areas is precisely why it was brought into this initiative. With close to half of South Africa’s adult population banking with Capitec, the integration was needed.
What comes next
Standard Bank went live alongside Capitec, adding four new branches to its existing network. FNB has completed testing and is gearing up to scale the service to more than 240 branches over the next year. Nedbank, Absa, TymeBank, Discovery Bank and African Bank are all expected to follow in the coming weeks.
More articles involving Capitec Bank
- Briefly News previously reported that major South African banks are beginning to offer Smart ID services inside selected branches, promising a faster and more convenient way.
- A Capitec Bank branch was temporarily closed after a family brought a dead body inside over a payout dispute.
- One guy in Mzansi went viral on TikTok for crying in Capitec bank, and the clip amused many people in SA.
- A bizarre incident involving a KwaZulu-Natal family and Capitec Bank has gone viral globally after being featured by a US-based media giant.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow Briefly News on Twitter and never miss the hottest topics! Find us at @brieflyza!
Source: Briefly News
