Question NW303 to the Minister of Home Affairs
03 March 2025 - NW303
Machi, Ms BE to ask the Minister of Home Affairs
(1) What (a) is the current status of the ID application process for a certain person (name and details furnished) and her family and (b) measures are in place to expedite special case applications for individuals without official records, as attended by a certain person (name and details also furnished); (2) what steps is his department taking to prevent similar cases where multiple generations of a family remain undocumented; (3) whether there is a dedicated intervention for rural and traditional communities facing administrative barriers to obtaining identification documents; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (4) whether, given the delays in obtaining verification letters from traditional leaders, his department has considered alternative verification mechanisms to ensure that eligible individuals are not left without legal identity due to procedural obstacles; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
- There’s no ID application in the system for the person in question because her birth was never registered. Her case was brought to the attention of the DHA officials and the family was advised to request the local headman to provide a confirmation letter for the client to apply for the late registration of birth at the Tongaat office.
- The Department birth registration campaign is aimed at ensuring citizens are documented within 30 days of birth and those who miss this period are advised to follow the Late Registration of Births (LRB) process.
- The Department works inter alia with community stakeholders like Councillors, Induna, and Chiefs to inform the offices of undocumented citizens. Furthermore, the Department also participates in stakeholder forums in the province especially Operation Sukuma Sakhe where all Departments attend. In these meetings each Department shares its requirements for services that are required by the public.
(4) Yes, the Department works with the social workers to investigate background information of the applicant, and the law allows social workers and any member of the public who can vouch for the applicant to act as an informant and the details of the informant are linked to the applicant for future reference.
END.