Clermont mother struggles to register her newborn
Zizikazi Magangane is struggling to apply for her baby's birth certificate after she made a mistake of writing her prefered name and surname on the hospital form before officially changing her ID.
WHAT’s in a name? Everything, as a Clermont mother, who wrote down a preferred name on a hospital form confirming her baby’s birth, has discovered.
The stress of not being able to register her child’s birth certificate is increasing everyday for Zizikazi Magangane.
Magangane’s problems began when she wanted to change her name and surname on her identity card.
She made the mistake of writing her new name and surname on the hospital form before officially changing her name on her identity card, which caused confusion at home affairs.
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This meant Magangane had to return to King Edward hospital for proof that it was she who had the baby at the hospital.
“I gave birth on Thursday, 24 May and I was discharged on Monday, 28 May. When I went to apply for the birth certificate, I was told that I need to bring a letter from the hospital and an affidavit to prove the baby is mine,” explained Magangane.
The Clermont mom said she went back to the hospital and was given forms that were half filled-in and had no stamp on them.
“I was told to go back again to the hospital and ask for the staff to fill in the forms and stamp them but the hospital staff said they cannot do it as there are too many cases of children getting lost.”
She said that really shocked and pained her as she spent four days in the hospital and some of the nurses remembered her.
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“My ID number is the same in all the documents, it just my name and the surname that are different. Even the father’s details are all correct. I would not be going up and down if I had stolen this baby.
“I am really struggling, I am unemployed and the baby’s father recently lost his job. It’s hard as I cannot even apply for the grant money.”
Magangane said she is scared this matter will not be solved and her baby will endure problems when she grows up.
“How is she even going to register for a school if this continues. I have heard so many incidents of people having a hard time getting their IDs because they do not have birth certificates,” said the concerned mom.
Agiza Hlongwane from the Department of Health asked for Magangane’s phone number and said they will try to facilitate the process of her getting the forms stamped.
“I have liaised with the hospital PRO to intervene,” he said.
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