South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs has opened a new office in Hessequa and upgraded its existing facility in Mossel Bay as part of efforts to improve access to identity and other civic services.
Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber announced the developments, confirming that the new Hessequa facility is the first dedicated Home Affairs office serving the municipality.
In addition to the office expansion, Hessequa and Mossel Bay now each have two bank branches offering Smart ID application services. According to Schreiber, applicants using the bank-based service can complete their Smart ID applications in approximately five minutes.
The expansion forms part of the department’s efforts to make identity services more accessible through its own facilities and partnerships with financial institutions. The approach is intended to provide residents with additional options for accessing essential government services.
The new office in Hessequa establishes a dedicated local service point, while the upgraded Mossel Bay facility adds to the department’s existing service infrastructure in the area.
The announcement did not identify the participating banks or provide further details on the capacity and operating hours of the new and upgraded offices.
