Question NW1146 to the Minister of Home Affairs
05 April 2022 - NW1146
Roos, Mr AC to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
In view of the 465 826 learners without identity (ID) numbers that were recorded on the Department of Basic Education’s Learner Unit Record and Information Tracking System (Lurits) in 2021, what (a)(i) steps is his department taking to ensure that learners without ID numbers are assisted to register their births and receive an ID number before and/or in their matric year, (ii) is the total number of schools that were visited by a mobile unit of his department in each province in the period 1 January to 31 December 2021 and (iii) were the total number of (aa) birth registration and (bb) ID applications were made by learners during the school visits in each province in the specified period and (b) criteria were used to select schools to be visited by the mobile units?
Reply:
(a)(i) The Department of Home Affairs obtained a database from Department of Basic Education (DBE), at the beginning of the school year and then determines the number of learners with a qualifying age for Identity documents (matriculants and non-matriculants). Learners 16 years of age without an identity document are also assisted irrespective of the grade they are in, to ensure that by grade 12 they are in possession of a Smart ID Card.
(a)(ii) The breakdown below is the total number of services provided per province:
|
Province |
(ii) Total Number of Schools visited (01 January – 31 Dec 2021) |
(iii) (aa) Total number of birth registration within 30 days |
(bb) Smart ID cards applications |
|
Eastern Cape |
207 |
40 |
6 226 |
|
Free State |
57 |
0 |
1 825 |
|
Gauteng |
487 |
0 |
2 696 |
|
Kwazulu-Natal |
244 |
407 |
7 595 |
|
Limpopo |
202 |
2 |
8 160 |
|
Mpumalanga |
208 |
0 |
6 482 |
|
Northern Cape |
209 |
264 |
4 204 |
|
North West |
127 |
83 |
4 225 |
|
Western Cape |
22 |
3 463 |
2 872 |
|
TOTAL |
1763 |
4 259 |
44 285 |
(b) Collaboration by all stakeholders (i.e Councillors, religious groups, Amakhosi, DBE District Directors and School Principals) advise on the areas where there is a dire need for learners without ID documents, especially where there is no DHA footprint in close proximity, and then a schedule of schools to be visited is developed on monthly basis. Dates for visits and lists of requirements are determined and shared with the school authorities and an implementation schedule is developed and actioned
END