Potch Home Affairs Extends Saturday Hours for Smart ID Card Applications
- Karen Scheepers
- May 20
- 8 min read
The Department of Home Affairs public notice announcing extended Saturday hours for Smart ID card applications in May 2025. Home Affairs offices across South Africa, including
the Potchefstroom branch, will open for limited hours on three Saturdays this month to serve people applying for the new Smart ID cards gov.za. This initiative is part of a nationwide push to roll out the modern Smart ID card to more citizens, permanent residents, and naturalised citizens, helping phase out the old green barcoded ID books Local residents of Potchefstroom are urged to take advantage of the extra operating hours to apply for or collect their Smart IDs.
Extended Saturday Operating Hours in May 2025
To accommodate the expected influx of Smart ID applications, particularly from newly eligible groups, the Department of Home Affairs has extended its operating hours on certain Saturdays in May 2025. All Home Affairs offices that offer Smart ID card services (i.e. Live Capture offices) will be open on the following Saturdays for a half-day each gov.za:
Saturday 17 May 2025: 08:00 – 13:00
Saturday 24 May 2025: 08:00 – 13:00
Saturday 31 May 2025: 08:00 – 13:00
On these dates, Home Affairs offices nationwide will be processing Smart ID card applications and collections. The special Saturday sessions add five extra hours of service each week during this period. The extended hours began on 17 May and will run until the last Saturday of the month, 31 May sanews.gov.za. “Extended hours over the specified weekends will allow for processing of Smart ID Card applications from naturalised citizens and permanent residents from listed countries, in possession of green barcoded ID books,” the department explained in an official statement. In simpler terms, this is a chance for those who have been using the old ID (especially those who recently became eligible for Smart IDs) to come in on a weekend and get their new card application done.
The Home Affairs Department urges all eligible people to use this opportunity. By the end of May, officials hope to have significantly increased Smart ID uptake, which in turn advances the goal of eventually phasing out the old ID format.
Smart ID Services in Potchefstroom – What You Need to Know
The local Home Affairs office will be participating in these extended Saturday hours. The main Home Affairs branch serving Potchefstroom is located at :
Office Manager: MATHE RA
Office Contact: 018 293 0732
Address: Cnr Tieroog & Curlewes Street, Potchindustria, Potchefstroom, 2531
This office is among the “live capture” offices equipped to process Smart ID card applications and issue the new cards. Normally, Home Affairs offices operate on weekdays, so these Saturday openings on 17, 24, and 31 May provide a convenient extra window for those who can’t visit during the week.
No advance appointment is strictly required to visit the office on these Saturdays, but it is highly recommended. The Department of Home Affairs has an online booking system, the Branch Appointment Booking System (BABS), accessible via the eHomeAffairs website. In fact, the public notice includes a QR code directing people to make a booking through BABS. Residents are encouraged to book an appointment online to avoid standing in long queues.
Click here to open link: https://ehome.dha.gov.za/ehomeaffairsv3
Walk-ins may still be helped on the day, but those with bookings will typically be given priority. Booking is free and relatively easy: you create an account on eHomeAffairs, fill out the ID application form online, and then schedule a slot at your nearest branch (such as Potchefstroom) for the biometric capture and final processing of your Smart ID application.
When heading to the Potchefstroom Home Affairs office for your Smart ID, remember to bring the necessary documents. If you are converting from the old green ID book, bring your current ID book along (it will be surrendered for cancellation upon issuance of your Smart ID). Fees are also applicable: the Smart ID card costs R140 for most applicants. (However, for senior citizens aged 60 and above, the Smart ID is free, no fee is required for older applicants.) Payment can typically be made at the office by card or cash. If you applied online through eHomeAffairs, you may have the option to pay online as well. After applying, the Home Affairs office will give you a collection date or notification to pick up your new card (which usually takes about 7 to 14 working days, depending on demand).
Smart ID Card vs. Green Barcoded ID Book
The Smart ID Card is South Africa’s modern, credit-card–sized national identity document that replaces the old green barcoded identity book. Both serve the same basic purpose, proving a person’s identity and citizenship, but the Smart ID card comes with significant improvements. It contains embedded digital technology, including a microchip that securely stores the holder’s biometric data (such as fingerprints and a photo) en.wikipedia.org.
By contrast, the old green ID book is a paper booklet with a printed barcode and laminated photo, which over the years has become increasingly vulnerable to damage, forgery and identity fraud businesstech.co.za. In fact, Home Affairs officials note that the outdated paper IDs are “dated and insecure”, whereas the smart cards offer advanced security features that make them far harder to duplicate or tamper with. The new card’s durable polycarbonate material and digital safeguards (like fingerprint verification and encrypted data on the chip) provide greater protection against identity theft than the old books ever could.
Aside from improved security, the Smart ID card is also more convenient. It’s compact enough to fit in a wallet, and it’s designed for easy electronic verification. Like the old ID book, the Smart ID is used for everyday identification needs, from voting and opening bank accounts to applying for passports or driver’s license. The key difference is that the smart card allows these processes to be more secure and efficient in the digital era. The Department of Home Affairs began introducing Smart IDs in 2013 as part of a high-tech modernization of civic services en.wikipedia.org, aiming to eventually replace the 38 million+ green ID booklets in circulation with the new cards.
Will Smart IDs Replace the Old ID Book?
Yes, the Smart ID card is ultimately meant to replace the green barcoded ID book, but there is no immediate deadline by which South Africans must swap their old ID for a smart card. The Department of Home Affairs has long-term plans to phase out and discontinue the green ID books, but it will only invalidate the old ID documents once Smart IDs are widely accessible to everyone. In other words, your green ID book remains a legal form of identification for now and will “not be invalid anytime soon” . Home Affairs officials have reiterated that South Africans should not panic about an abrupt cutoff; the phase-out will be a gradual process over the coming years businesstech.co.za.
According to Home Affairs’ strategic plans, the goal is to expand Smart ID coverage to all eligible South Africans by around 2029, after which the old ID books can be fully discontinued. Already, new first-time ID applicants receive Smart ID cards by default, and the green book is no longer being issued under normal circumstances. However, millions of citizens, especially older individuals and those in remote areas, still hold the green book.
The government has set targets to roll out Smart IDs rapidly (for example, issuing 2.5 million cards in the 2023/24 year), but until those targets are met and every Home Affairs office is equipped to handle smart ID applications efficiently, the green books will remain in use businesstech.co.za.
In summary: the Smart ID will eventually replace the old ID, but there is currently no fixed deadline by which you must convert, and your green ID book will continue to be accepted in the meantime.
Why Having a Smart ID Card Matters
There are several important reasons why South African citizens, naturalised citizens, and permanent residents should ensure they have a valid Smart ID card:
Security and Fraud Prevention: The primary motivation for the Smart ID roll-out is to combat ID fraud and identity theft. The old green ID books, being paper-based, can be easily damaged, altered or forged, making them a weak link in verifying identity. This has led to widespread fraud, a 2024 analysis found the green ID book was the most targeted document in Africa for fraudulent activities, with hundreds of thousands of fake or suspicious ID books detected businesstech.co.za. The Smart ID card’s high-tech security features virtually eliminate forgery: the biometric fingerprint verification and encrypted chip data mean that only the rightful owner can use the card. For the cardholder, this greatly reduces the risk of someone stealing your identity to, for example, open a fraudulent bank account or claim benefits in your name.
Personal Convenience and Access to Services: A valid ID (either the book or card) is essential for daily life in South Africa, you need it to register for school, apply for jobs, open bank accounts, sign cell phone contracts, access government services, vote, and more. The Smart ID card is increasingly becoming the standard for identification. Banks, government agencies and other institutions now routinely accept the Smart ID, and some services (such as online applications through eHomeAffairs) are only available to Smart ID holders (because the system verifies your ID number against the new card system). By having the Smart ID, citizens and residents ensure they can fully access the convenience of new digital services, for instance, applying for documents online or using automated kiosks, which were not possible with the old ID book.
Future Compatibility: As South Africa moves towards e-government and digital integration, the Smart ID card will be central to future identification systems. It lays the groundwork for digital IDs and remote authentication in the future mybroadband.co.za. In short, switching to the Smart ID card prepares individuals for a future where proof of identity will be increasingly electronic and securely verified. Officials also note that phasing out the flimsy green book is a matter of national security, the integrity of the country’s identity system is stronger when everyone has the robust Smart ID.
Home Affairs is especially encouraging naturalised citizens (people who acquired South African citizenship after immigrating) and permanent residents to get Smart IDs. Until recently, these groups had been excluded from the Smart ID system due to technical barriers, effectively forcing them to stick with the old green ID books iol.co.za.
The department has now removed those barriers as part of its digital reforms, finally allowing an estimated 1.4 million naturalised citizens and permanent residents to apply for Smart ID cards for the first time. Bringing these groups into the Smart ID fold is not only a matter of equal treatment, but also strengthens the overall system by ensuring every legal resident of South Africa has a secure, modern ID iol.co.za.
Rollout Progress and What’s Next
Home Affairs officials are calling the extension of services and inclusion of all residents in the Smart ID program a big step forward. Modernizing the ID system is a key part of South Africa’s National Development Plan, and it also aligns with global trends in secure identification. The ongoing Smart ID card rollout, alongside related initiatives like biometric passports and digital driver’s licences, is gradually transforming how South Africans prove who they are.
For the community in Potchefstroom, this national initiative has very practical local benefits. Residents who have been holding onto green ID books (perhaps out of habit or because they had no alternative) now have a chance to upgrade to a far more secure credential. The extended Saturday hours are expected to reduce the usual weekday congestion at the Potchefstroom Home Affairs office, making it easier for people to be served. It’s an opportunity especially tailored for those who work or attend classes on weekdays (such as university students or working professionals in Potchefstroom) to get their new IDs without having to take time off.
The Department of Home Affairs has made it clear that the days of the green ID book are numbered. By steadily increasing Smart ID uptake, they aim to eventually retire the old books completely. For now, Potch residents can rest assured that their green IDs are still valid, but there’s no denying that the Smart ID card is the future of identification in South Africa. With the local Home Affairs office offering extra hours this month and all citizens and legal residents now eligible to apply, it’s an ideal time to make the switch to the Smart ID card.
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