TymeBank has become the eighth bank to partner with the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in rolling out access to Smart IDs and passports, a move aimed at making these essential services more widely available to South Africans. The collaboration, announced on 3 September, forms part of government’s push to modernise Home Affairs and bring services closer to citizens, particularly in areas where access has been limited.
With more than 11 million customers, TymeBank will use its digital infrastructure to support the DHA’s reform programme. Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber said the agreement is a significant step forward in improving efficiency and accessibility.
“TymeBank is one of eight banks that have joined forces with us to make our vision of Home Affairs at home a reality,” Schreiber said. He described the initiative as “the most pro-poor and inclusive reform in Home Affairs’ history.”
TymeBank CEO Karl Westvig said the partnership underscores the bank’s focus on inclusion through technology.
“Our mission has always been to expand banking through simple, secure and affordable digital products. Extending that capability to support Home Affairs means we can play a role in making citizen services more accessible,” Westvig said.
The rollout will begin with a pilot phase at TymeBank’s head office in Johannesburg. Once tested, the DHA services will be extended to TymeBank service points nationwide. Customers will be informed when Smart ID and passport applications become available at their local branches.
Dispute over verification fees
The announcement follows a period of friction between TymeBank and the DHA over sharp increases in verification fees linked to the upgraded National Population Register (NPR) system. The cost per real-time check rose from 15 cents to R10 earlier this year, sparking criticism from the bank.
Tyme Group CEO Coenraad Jonker described the hikes as “a regressive tax on the most vulnerable South Africans,” warning that higher fees could threaten financial inclusion and undermine services to lower-income groups.
Minister Schreiber pushed back, defending the new structure as essential to safeguard the system and ensure it reflects the real cost of delivery. He argued that TymeBank had previously benefited from taxpayer-funded subsidies and rejected claims that the department had failed to consult with industry players.