A young woman’s dream of studying law has been shattered after the Department of A “refused her identity document (ID) application because her mother was registered as a male on the system.”
Nomfundo Maphosa (20) from Masoyi near White River said she was ready to study law at Tshwane’s University of Technology but it did not happen as she does not have an ID.
She said her ID application was rejected on several occasions with the reason given that she was not linked to her mother’s documentation. She said this was caused by Home Affairs officials who mistakenly recorded her mother as a male.
“Every time I try to apply they reject and instruct me to come with a legitimate ID of my mother. I tried on several occasions to explain but they said I would only get the ID as soon as my mother’s documentation’s error had been fixed. What worries me is that the error was committed by Home Affairs officials, but I am the one suffering. What makes things worse is that my father died many years ago. If he was alive maybe his documents would be of help,” said Maphosa.
She completed her grade 12 at Jerusalem High School three years ago said she has sleepless nights thinking of her peers continuing their studies, while she has to remain at home. She said she visited different Home Affairs offices trying to get assistance, but to no avail. “I am pleading with the department to at least write a letter stating that they are still trying to fix problems surrounding my mother’s ID so that I can go study. Registration at universities are reopening soon and I will not able to register but maybe with the letter from Home Affairs I would be able to register,” she said.
Nomfundo’s mother, Mpho Maphosa, said she had been trying for more than 12 years to fix the error caused by Home Affairs. She was told that the problem was fixed and she would receive her new ID but that never happened. “In May, I received a new ID number but still it does not link my daughter as I was also declared childless.
My daughter has no ID, just only a birth certificate so next year it will be three years after she completed matric.”
Doris Chiloane, operations manager at Nelspruit Home Affairs, said “the gender has been rectified. A new ID number was issued. She came to the office to apply for a smart card and the application is at the printing stage.”
When asked about the time frame Chiloane added that she does not have control over the process of issuing her ID’s and assured Malope that her matter is at the last stage and surely she will get her ID soon, but cannot specify the time frame.
