Thomas Maphari is 26 years old but still struggles to apply for an identity book.
Maphari said he has never had a birth certificate due to his mother’s disappearance.
According to Maphari, his mother is believed to be Shonisani who abandoned him together with his young brother Andries Maphari (23). She left them with their father at a young age while the couple was still working at Waterport Farm which is based in Limpopo.
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“I only managed to go to school and finished my matric using a temporary examination identity document. My father has made lots of efforts in various Home Affairs offices hoping to get a certificate for me but to no avail. We’ve wasted so much money travelling to register for an ID book.
“I feel so sad as though I am a foreign national and not a South African. We’ve been talking to many social workers addressing this matter but there is no clear direction on what to do so that I can get myself an ID. And I don’t understand why my father was denied in applying for an ID book on my behalf,” explained Maphari.
Maphari added he was told by his father that he last saw his mother when he was three years old.
“I was raised by my father’s family in Ndzelele, Vhenda. Actually, I know nothing about my mother or her family as I never had an opportunity to know them. My brother was the luckiest one because our aunt managed to register a certificate for him through social workers when she was registering his social grant, using his birth book. He never had problems when he applied for his ID book. And we both use our father’s surname, Maphari,” he added.
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This influential young man, Maphari, lives in Ivory Park, Extension 2, says he is always stressed when he sees other young people excelling in their career paths and getting employment.
“I can’t look for a job or participate in any activities which require an ID book or certificate. I was denied that a while back in school when my father pushed hard to get a certificate for me. I am scared that if my father dies, what is going to happen to me?” asked Maphari.
He matriculated at Ivory Park Secondary School in 2014 and he is actively involved in a community volunteering work at TZU-CHINGO that caters school learners around Ivory Park with a soup kitchen.
Maphari is currently in desperate measures as he was awarded a full bursary from the Chines project, TZU-CHINGO and is frustrated how he will register for varsity with no ID book.
Maphari has been a volunteer at TZU-CHINGO for a period of five years.
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He said he wants to register to study for a degree in Commercial Law as he is good in problem-solving and mostly a people’s person. “Life without both parents is a curse. Although I am not that person who likes to rely on other people, I love doing things possible for myself,” said Maphari.
The Maphari boys are both planning to study Commercial Law’s degree through UNISA or any other institution.
“I am appealing to the local government people to help my father register for an ID book for me. We’ve made so many attempts to trace my mother’s whereabouts but it seems she is untraceable,” said Maphari.
Speaking to a representative of Wynberg Home Affairs of City of Johannesburg, Nolwazi Shenge, said Maphari’s matter need to be attended by social workers who will do a thorough investigation about his birth. “Home Affairs are not entitled to issue a birth certificate or identity books without relevant proof of documents of both parents. So many procedures are followed. In this case, I advice him to speak to social workers and his father should also tell the name of hospital where Maphari was born to help collect relevant information about his birth and get the proper documentation to Home Affairs,” explained Shenge.
She said social workers will then request a late registration of birth application to Johannesburg, Kempton Park or Soweto Home Affairs.
