South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has launched a groundbreaking identity verification service, revolutionizing access to the National Population Register (NPR) for both government and private sector users.
The new system, addressing years of underinvestment and frequent failures—where over half of verification attempts previously faltered—enhances social and financial inclusion by ensuring reliable access for services like social grants and banking.
The service has already onboarded the government’s justice cluster, including the South African Social Security Administration (SASSA), South African Police Service (SAPS), and Department of Justice and Constitutional Development, processing over 180,000 transactions daily with results delivered in under one second and an error rate below 1%.
Three major private sector users have also transitioned, benefiting from a new fee structure: free for government departments, R10 for real-time private sector verifications, and R1 for off-peak batch transactions. One private sector user has processed over one million records through the cost-effective batch option, reducing strain on the NPR and stabilizing the system for all.
ALSO READ:NPA GREETS FIRST NIGERIAN-OWNED CONTAINER SHIP, ENHANCING AFCFTA TRADE
Despite extensive public consultations, including a 30-day period ending in May, some users were unprepared for the transition. To support them, Home Affairs introduced a flexible measure: users can opt to have fees for July 1 to September 30, 2025, calculated in October based on their optimized usage patterns, with excess payments credited back.
This encourages shifting verifications to the R1 off-peak queue, minimizing costs. For example, an insurer collaborated with Home Affairs to verify death records, reducing costs to R1 per transaction by selecting only the necessary data field.
Minister of Home Affairs Dr. Leon Schreiber emphasized the service’s impact: “This world-class NPR verification system, paired with a strategic fee structure, incentivizes efficient usage, addressing long-standing system failures. It ensures sustainable investment while enhancing service delivery across sectors.” Home Affairs invites users to collaborate via verifications@dha.gov.za to optimize usage and maximize cost savings, marking a significant step toward a more inclusive and efficient digital ecosystem in South Africa.
