REVEALED: The SECRETS about YOU hiding in an SA ID number

Your SA ID number is the type of thing you interact with on a daily basis but probably have little idea how it is derived. Well, as it turns out, there’s a lot more information on display in your SA ID number than you probably thought.

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According to the Western Cape Government, it is a 13-digit number and is derived in the following format: YYMMDDSSSSCAZ (you can refer to a detailed graphic below). Most of us will know the first six digits (YYMMDD) reflect your date of birth. 20 February 1992 is displayed as 920220 in the example provided.

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But here’s where it gets interesting and there are a few more secrets hiding in plain sight than you probably counted on. The next four digits (SSSS) are used to define your gender. If you’re female they range from 0000-4999 and if you’re male it will read from 5000-9999.

SA ID NUMBER EXPLAINED

The next digit (C) in your SA ID number reveals whether you’re an SA citizen by birth (0) or (1) to denote that you’re a permanent resident. In fact, the final digit (Z), is the only one that does not reveal anything specific about you. It is know as a checksum digit and follows a set formula called the Luhn algorithm. The SA ID number below details the different sections of a fictitious person 9202204720082.

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Did you know all the secrets hidden in your SA ID Number? Be sure to share your thoughts with our audience in the comments section below. Send an email to info@thesouthafrican.com.

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