Question NW2238 to the Minister of Home Affairs
17 July 2023 - NW2238
Montwedi, Mr Mk to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) On what date is it envisaged that his department will finalise the matter of a certain person (name and details furnished) who discovered upon his appointment in 2008 when his identity document was blocked that the specified document was defrauded in 2006; (2) whether an investigation into the matter has been initiated; if not, why not; if so, what (a) are the outcomes since the matter was reported to his department in 2009 and (b)(i) total number of similar matters have been reported to his department in the past three years that have not been resolved to date and (ii) caused the delays?
Reply:
1. Section 12 of the Identification Act, 1997 (Act No.68 of 1997) provides for the “Verification of particulars” and states as follows:
“The Director-General may—
(a) request any person to furnish the Director-General with proof of the correctness of any particulars which have been furnished in respect of such person in any docurnent in terms of this Act; and
(b) investigate or cause to be investigated any matter in respect particulars are required to be recorded in the population register.”
In order to comply with the above Act, the person referred to herein was to furnish the Department with duly completed DHA-9, DHA-24, DHA-288 forms and a copy of mother’s ID for the case to be finalised. It should be noted that Mr Nkeane Shebangane Reginald indeed visited the office during February 2023 and was again requested to avail the outstanding documents. To redress the matter, the Department has visited Mr Nkeane in June 2023 and provided him with the necessary support to complete the above required forms and as such his matter has been amicably resolved. The markers set on his identity number have been lifted as a result.
(2)(a) The investigation has been conducted and the outcome is that the ID was fraudulently used by a Lesotho national who was deported in 2008. In August 2009 the fraudster applied for an ID upon which his fingerprint matched with a foreign fingerprint record belonging to a Lesotho contract worker. On the 23rd November 2009, a message was placed on the system that the applicant needs to be subjected to an interview. On 21 December 2010, a secondary message was placed on the system requesting for an Immigration Questionnaire, a Recommendation letter and a Renouncement letter to renounce the ID number as it was already used by a foreign national. On 28 August 2012, Mr Nkeane was interviewed by Immigration Services Branch and the investigation report sent to Head Office. After investigation by Head Office, it was concluded that Mr Nkeane was sharing the identity number with a foreign national from Lesotho. Mr Nkeane however insisted on maintaining his original ID number. On 27 September 2012, a final message was placed on the system that Mr Nkeane must submit a fully completed DHA-9 application to upload his fingerprints in the system so that his matter is finally resolved. The outstanding documents were received in June 2023 and the matter has been finalised.
(2)(b)(i) There are 13 090 files where outstanding documents are needed from clients before cases can be finalised. Clients are informed telephonically and/or through correspondence.
(2)(b)(ii) Delays are caused by non-responsiveness of clients.
END