Motsoaledi told Eyewitness News that the green bar-coded ID was vulnerable to security breaches leading to instances of identity duplication to the detriment of unsuspecting victims.
Independent marketing consultant Andrew Fraser cannot say how long this information has been out there for but it could have been years and says the data looks like it was collected by the credit bureau.
Manie van Schalkwyk, executive director of the South African Fraud Prevention Services, explains what identity theft is and how you can protect yourself.
Identity theft, online scams and fraud are a growing problem in South Africa and Sabric has urged individuals to protect their personal information.
A tip-off from the community led to the arrest of the 28-year-old man.
The Minister says despite interventions, identity theft and social grant fraud remain a problem.
The 35th Annual Crime Stoppers International Conference has started in Cape Town on Monday.
