06-17-2026 
The African region is increasingly turning to digital controls in tackling modern governance challenges, with South Africa unveiling a sweeping overhaul of its identity management system to curb illegal immigration and strengthen the integrity of its public records, while Mauritius is looking to enforce stringent oversight of online activities.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the gradual discontinuation of the green-barcoded identity book, which the country has used since 1980, as it plans to gradually transition to an Intelligent Population Register that will contain the biometric information of its citizens and residents. The government aims to complete the phase-out of the book by 2029.
While the green-barcoded book, used by 16 million South Africans, helped the country with public documentation, it also significantly contributed to a 400% increase in impersonation fraud since its introduction, according to a TechCentral report, citing data from the identity verification firm VerifyNow.
Ramaphosa said introducing a smart register would not only help the government address illegal entry and stay in the country but also support the launch of its digital identity system, which utilizes biometric data and is renewable every five years.
Currently, the Department of Home Affairs is in the process of expanding the digital ID by setting up smart ID replacement services at 167 bank branches nationwide. Since Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced the service in May, over 127,000 people have successfully transitioned to using this smart ID service.
Apart from the creation of the Intelligent Population Register, plans are underway for the enforcement of new regulations targeting the Traffic Registration Number (TRN), which is often used by foreign nationals as a form of identification when purchasing or registering vehicles. The government is looking into introducing the new rules within the next three months.
Additionally, Ramaphosa said his administration will continue exploring modern technology and upskilling its personnel to ensure that South Africa will not only ride the wave of global digitalization but also ensure its border security remains robust.
Mauritius ramps up cyber crackdown
Similar to South Africa, the neighboring country of Mauritius is also dealing with rising cases of digital fraud and harmful online content, prompting the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation to strengthen its oversight to keep the online ecosystem safe.
Following a Cabinet meeting on June 5, the ministry announced it will launch an identity verification mechanism for social media users to combat cyber fraud, identity theft, and harmful online content.
Details of the initiative are still being discussed, with authorities expecting to release a guideline after consultations with stakeholders on the framework of identity verification on social media platforms.
It remains to be seen whether Mauritius’ upcoming framework will include a similar guideline to those set by other countries, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, restricting social media platforms to under-16s to prevent exposure to malicious content and exploitation.
While the ministry’s proposal is intended to give Mauritians a safe digital ecosystem, issues about freedom of expression and privacy protection of internet users have surfaced following the announcement.
As of June, Mauritius has recorded more than 2,300 cases of online harm. In 2025, the country registered 6,073 cyber incidents.
Watch: Why using transparent ledger for digital identity ensures trust
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