Tekwane South residents voice home affairs concerns
Department of Home Affairs’ mobile services assist community with smart ID applications.
The deputy minister of home affairs, Njabulo Nzuza, brought the home affairs mobile service to Tekwane South on June 12.
Accompanied by the City of Mbombela’s executive mayor, Sibongile Makushe-Mazibukoto, Nzuza visited the area to assist the community with the issuing and registration of smart ID cards and other identity documents.
Members of the community used the opportunity to voice concerns about identity theft and poor service experienced at home affairs offices.
Sipho Ngomane, a truck driver by trade, said he is not happy about the lack of assistance at various home affairs branches.
“I went to the Komatipoort branch in 2011 to apply for an ID after I had lost my first one. When I got there, I was told that I am not a legal citizen and could not be issued an ID. This caused me to lose work for a period of time, and logistic companies had to terminate my contracts because I could not provide identification,” said Ngomane.
Nzuza said the department is aware of such cases and is dealing with reports of corruption at branches.
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He encouraged the public to embrace home affairs’ digital services.
“We want to move to the digital space and migrate every citizen of the country to the smart card IDs. I also plead with the community, specifically parents, to register their children within 30 days of birth,” Nzuza said, adding that such services are offered at hospitals.
