Jonga OCR API

Extract structured JSON data from South African identity documents using AI-powered vision. One API call, instant results.

REST APIAI-poweredPOPIA Compliant

Supported Documents

SA Smart ID Card

Front & Back

SA Green Book ID

Biographical Page

International Passport

Any country (ICAO)

SA Driver's License

Front & Back

Quick Start

Get an API Token

Sign in at /sign-in, then visit /dashboard/tokens and click Create Token. The plaintext value is shown once, so copy it immediately and store it securely.

Send a Document Image

POST the image to the appropriate endpoint with your Bearer token. Supports JPEG, PNG, or WebP up to 4MB.

Scan SA Smart ID (Front)bash

curl -X POST https://jongaocr.co.za/api/v1/ocr/sa-id-smart-front \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer jonga_YOUR_TOKEN" \
  -F "image=@./id-front.jpg"

Get Structured JSON

Receive a structured response with extracted fields, confidence level, and processing metadata.

Responsejson

{
  "success": true,
  "documentType": "sa-id-smart-front",
  "confidence": "high",
  "data": {
    "surname": "MOKOENA",
    "names": "LERATO PRECIOUS",
    "sex": "F",
    "dateOfBirth": "1991-03-14",
    "idNumber": "9103140000088",
    "countryOfBirth": "RSA",
    "citizenshipStatus": "Citizen",
    "nationality": "RSA"
  },
  "meta": {
    "processedAt": "2026-04-07T10:00:00Z",
    "latencyMs": 3200
  }
}

Key Features

Measurable

Every response reports its own real latencyMs

POPIA Compliant

In-memory processing, no image storage

Simple REST API

Bearer auth, JSON responses, any language

Documentation

Authentication

Token creation, Bearer auth, scopes

API Endpoints

All 6 OCR endpoints + utility endpoints

Error Codes

13 error codes with troubleshooting

Rate Limiting

Per-token limits, headers, best practices

Privacy & POPIA

Data handling and compliance

Integration Examples

cURL, TypeScript, Python, Postman

Image Requirements

Formats

JPEG, PNG, WebP

Max Size

4MB per image

Preprocessing

Auto-resized to 1500px, JPEG 80%

For best results: well-lit, flat surface, document fills most of the frame, minimum 800px resolution.

API Base URL

https://jongaocr.co.za/api/v1