In a significant move to support senior citizens, the Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Njabulo Nzuza, together with Mogale City Executive Mayor Lucky Sele, led an outreach programme yesterday to hand over Smart ID cards to elderly residents at the Burgershoop Community Centre.
This initiative forms part of national government’s campaign to phase out the old green barcoded ID books and transition all South Africans to modern, secure identification.
The introduction of Smart ID cards is essential in ensuring that the elderly can access crucial government services, including pension payouts, healthcare, banking, and social grants.
Speaking at the event, Mayor Sele emphasised that proper identification is the cornerstone of accessing government support. “When our senior citizens possess secure, modern documents, they are able to navigate state systems with dignity and without unnecessary delays,” he said.
The campaign catered to residents from Jack Cottome, President Home, and the broader Burgershoop community, many of whom received the modern Smart ID card for the first time.
To further support residents, the Department of Home Affairs deployed mobile service trucks that assisted with applications for Smart IDs, birth certificates, and passports, an important intervention that reduces travel costs and long queues at service centres.
The programme was widely applauded as an example of successful intergovernmental collaboration, demonstrating how national and local government can work together to bring services closer to the people who need them most.
Also in attendance was Mogale City MMC for Social Development Wonderful Segolodi.