An Imbali, KZN, woman has been left reeling after discovering that the Department of Home Affairs has her legally listed as married to a stranger.

The Witness reports that Nontobeko Mkhize (44) says the shocking revelation came to light recently when her daughter applied for funding through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

“I have never been married in my life. I don’t know the man they say is my husband.

“This has affected my daughter’s chances of getting NSFAS, because now it looks like I have a spouse who can support her,” says Mkhize.

She says she suspected the fraudulent registration dated back to 2009, when she was duped into signing a document.

“There were three foreign young men who came to my home in Imbali.

“At the time, I was living with my grandmother. These men came to sell us chandelier lights.

“While they were installing them, I remember them asking my grandmother to help them get their visas by marrying them.

“My grandmother obviously refused,” says Mkhize.

Over the following days, while they completed the installation, Mkhize says the men repeatedly begged them for help with their visa application.

On the last day they were there, my grandmother was not home. They told me that I needed to sign some papers as proof that they had finished the job.

“I did not read those papers, and that was my fault, but I never thought they might have been marriage papers,” says Mkhize.

She adds that the fraudulent marriage has affected not only her life, but also her children’s.

She struggled to apply for South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) grants, relief funds and NSFAS support.

“I have gone to Home Affairs to try and resolve this issue, but they told me that I needed to find this person and get a divorce.

“How do I divorce someone I don’t know?

“I only have the name on the marriage certificate, but I do not know who they are,” she says.

She adds that she tried to go to the marriage court, but officials told her she needed a lawyer.

“I do not work. I do not have a salary to hire a lawyer.

“I recently visited Legal Aid, and they said they would get back to me after two weeks,” she says.

Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza says if a marriage record appears in the department’s system, but the people are not married, they should immediately visit the nearest office with their IDs to report the discrepancy and request an investigation into their marital status, as this indicates possible identity fraud or error.

“You may also want to contact the Home Affairs call centre for assistance and report the incident to the SAPS if you suspect fraud,” says Qoza.

He adds that if it is confirmed that an ID was stolen or used in a fraudulent marriage, the marriage may be annulled, according to the Parliamentary Monitoring Group.

“This is a serious issue, and you may need to take the necessary steps to protect your identity and resolve the incorrect record,” says Qoza.

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