South Africa Moves Beyond Green Book Toward Digital Identity System

What changed

South Africa appears to be moving beyond the Green Book toward a digital public infrastructure and digital identity system. The country’s Government of National Unity is linked to that progress, although the institutions responsible, the system’s capabilities and its rollout remain unspecified.

Why it matters

A functioning digital identity system could change how people interact with the state by giving public services a shared digital foundation. But that outcome is still prospective: no launch date, cost, technical design or measurable result has been reported.

The most important next step is evidence of implementation. Until the government identifies who is building the system and explains where and how it will operate, this is a significant direction of travel rather than a completed transformation.