WeeklySA_AdminDESPAIR: Sttill no identity after submitting DNA evidence to expedite the official process years ago…
By Phumeza Halonisi
Inathi Bikhwe was born at home in a rural village 22 years ago.Health and Home Affairs services were far away, which meant Inathi’s birth wasn’t registered within the initial three-day period.
DNA tests were given to Home Affairs eight years ago, but Inathi still can’t get a birth certificate or ID.
As a result, Inathi was unable to complete matric, cannot get a job, nor register her own child, who is seven-months-old.
There are no official records of Inathi Bikhwe’s birth in the Eastern Cape 22 years ago. She has spent the last eight years trying to get Home Affairs to issue a birth certificate, without success.
Bikhwe’s mother Nozamikhaya Bikhwe said Inathi was born at home in the village of Tsolo, with her mother-in-law in attendance. Nozamikhaya said she did not visit the clinic while she was pregnant, as it was too far away.
“I was living in a rural area where clinics were very far and transport was expensive,” she said. Getting to a Home Affairs office was also difficult. It was only after moving to Cape Town four months after giving birth to Inathi, that Nozamikhaya was able to take Inathi for immunisations.
Although Inathi did not have a birth certificate, Nozamikhaya said the nurses were understanding and gave her a clinic card. “That’s how she has been able to access healthcare,” she said.
After attempting to register Inathi’s birth, she was told she’d need to obtain DNA tests, which cost R2,100. She said it was only in 2017, after her husband got a job, that she was able to afford the DNA test.
The results stated there was a 99.9% certainty that she is Inathi’s mother, but despite the DNA evidence, Inathi’s birth certificate has still not been issued. After eight years, the family is feeling hopeless.
Nozamikhaya said in 2017 she also applied for a birth certificate for her older son, but he died in 2018 while they were still waiting for his documents.
“When my son died, the mortuary refused to release his body because he had no birth certificate or ID. I had to write an affidavit and take DNA test results to prove he was my child before they finally released his body for burial,” she said.
“We are getting old and we will die soon. Who will take care of Inathi? She can’t get a job and she can’t even prove that she is a South African.”
Inathi said that without a birth certificate, and consequently without an ID, she feels like her life is on hold. She said her lack of documentation has limited her opportunities, even preventing her from finishing matric.
She said even getting enrolled in school was a struggle. “Some schools turned me away because I had no birth certificate. One year I got really lucky and was placed in a school, but because of my age I had to start in Grade 5,” said Inathi
Despite the setbacks, she pushed through and made it to matric in 2022, but needed an ID to write her final exams.
“I had to drop out because I knew I wouldn’t be able to write my final exams without an ID. That was painful because I really wanted to finish school,” she said
Finding work has not been possible.
“I have tried looking for jobs, but everywhere I go they ask for an ID. I have now given up because I know I won’t get hired without it,” said Inathi.
She said without her own ID, she also cannot get a birth certificate for her seven month-old daughter.
“I can’t even apply for a social grant for my daughter. I have no way to buy her food or nappies, we both depend on my father because he is the only one working.”
She said she last visited the Home Affairs office in November 2024.
“A lady told me she couldn’t help me because there were two different birth dates on my application, and she wasn’t sure which one was correct. I told her the correct date but she just looked at my file and said my case was too old,” said Inathi.
Inathi Bikhwe looks through documents received from Home Affairs in 2017 after applying for a birth certificate. She has yet to receive one. Photo: Phumeza Halonisi.
Stanley Malemetja is an attorney with the Centre for Child Law. He said births are supposed to be registered within 30 days, but the law makes provision for late birth registration, including for people over the age of 18.
“In such cases, the person may apply for their own birth registration. The application must meet several requirements, such as an affidavit by someone who witnessed the birth, the applicant’s biometrics, certified copies of the parents’ IDs, and any other supporting documents like death or marriage certificates, if relevant,” said Malemetja
He said if the application is rejected, Home Affairs must provide the applicant with written reasons so they can take steps to appeal or correct the issue.
When GroundUp contacted Home Affairs on 24 March, spokesperson Siyabulela Qoza asked for the family’s contact details, which were provided after obtaining permission to do so. We have heard nothing from Home Affairs since then. – GroundUp
Mirror Briefs
Police Arrest 369 Zama Zamas
A total of 369 suspects have been arrested during the police’s nationwide Operation Vala Umgodi, which targets illegal mining.
The suspects, of different nationalities, were arrested for illegal mining-related offences and other crimes such as murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of explosives and possession of suspected stolen property.
During the sting in the Northern Cape, 21 unpolished diamonds were seized in Kleinsee on April 15, leading to the arrest of four suspects. Within days, the team seized 39 more unpolished diamonds and arrested five suspects on the R355 enroute to Port Nolloth on April 21.
Other items seized in the past week include five unlicensed firearms; 34 rounds of ammunition, and 15 vehicles including sedans, bakkies, trucks and trailers. Highlights of Operation Vala Umgodi in the past week include:
Free State: 14 undocumented persons held around Allenridge Rock Dam, Meloding Calaria location and Rathaba Hostel. More than 400kg of gold bearing material and illicit gold processing equipment were seized. Gauteng: On 19 April, 15 illegal miners were held, various illegal mining equipment were seized, including ‘phendukas’ (used to refine and extract gold from ore) and gas cylinders at N12 informal settlement in Crystal Park. – SA news.gov.za
2 BEITBRIDGE POST OFFICIALS BUST
Two Border Management Authority (BMA) Immigration officials, together with several other suspects, are facing charges of corruption after being arrested at an intelligence-driven operation at the Beitbridge post in Musina, bordering South Africa and Zimbabwe. The BMA operation resulted in the arrest of the two BMA Immigration officials, five undocumented foreign nationals and two suspected facilitators involved in the alleged unlawful entry of persons into the Republic, and the contravention of the Immigration Act.
The operation, executed on Tuesday, was led by two executive members of the BMA following extensive movement monitoring and the deployment of advanced technological surveillance at the port, and included local law enforcement agencies to process the case further.
During the operation, the executives observed a white Mercedes-Benz taxi parked near a shop at the port. Two BMA Immigration officials, a 61-year-old female and a 44-year-old male, were seen engaging with the facilitator and subsequently allowed the taxi to pass through, allegedly after receiving a bribe. The vehicle with 18 passengers, 13 of whom held valid travel documents, five undocumented others. A female passenger and the taxi driver, believed to have facilitated the illegal entry, were also arrested. All nine suspects were charged with corruption and appeared in court this week.
Afriforum welcomes Mchunu’s apology
Rightwing group AfriForum welcomed the apology by Police Minister Senzo Mchunu to Bergview College principal, Jaco Pieterse, for falsely identifying him as a suspect in the alleged rape of seven-year-old Matatiele girl only known as Cwecwe. In a letter addressed to AfriForum’s Gerrie Nel, who is providing legal assistance to Pieterse, Mchunu admitted that his department made an error in a statement issued on March 29. Mchunu’s apology came as the organisation announced its client’s intentions to file cases of criminal defamation against him and other politicians.
The statement incorrectly identified “three individuals, including the school principal,” as suspects in the rape case involving a child at the school. He said he was prepared to apologise personally to Pieterse and acknowledged the damage done to him, his family, and the Bergview College community. – Fullview
FREE STATE PREMIER TO HOST PRAYER
Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and Mangaung mayor Gregory Nthatisi will lead a provincial GBVF Prayer Service in Grassland in Bloemfontein on Sunday.
This prayer is a build-up activity towards the Provincial Freedom Day to be held on May 2, as part of concerted provincial efforts to curb the scourge of gender-based violence against women in the province. On the day, legendary Lesedi Radio presenter Thuso Motaung will broadcast his popular Makgulong A Matala from Ward 17, Grassland. On May 2, the Premier, Mangaung mayor and executive council will host a Provincial Freedom Day event in the same area under the theme: “United in Resilience for the Defence of Our Freedom and Democracy”.
The celebrations will incorporate the province’s Service Delivery Outreach programme as part of the Premier’s commitment to tackle service delivery challenges. In attendance will be various departments and state-owned entities, including: SASSA, Home Affairs Dept, IEC, SAPS, SARS and mobile clinics. Other items will include Rehabilitation of Identified Roads; Letsema Cleaning Campaign; launch of the New Emergency Vehicles; Title Deeds Handover to the Ward 17 Community; Housing List Verification and Housing Construction visit.
