She was the person whom you needed during every step of your life: birth, marriage and death.
She served with passion and dedication but now she has packed her desk at Home Affairs on Willson Street and is to soon settle in Bloemfontein to follow what she says is God’s calling for her: taking care of old folk.
Marina Wolmarans took care of young and old during her 24 years, with what she describes as the most important department in the country.
It was in September 2001 that she moved here after starting at Home Affairs in Vryheid in 1992. “I arrived at a broken office on Beaconsfield Street which we shared with the detectives. There were two staff members and every time it rained we would be virtually knee-deep in water.”
She remembers cleaning the ‘horrendous public toilet’ with her staff.
Then in 2006, devastation struck when a fire gutted the building: leaving both the Home Affairs and detective offices in ruins. “It was a terrible time… we had to deal with the public who are not always so patient from out of a mobile truck parked behind the municipality. We were there for six months until we moved into the old Etna Hotel on Willson Street.” But that was not the end of Home Affairs woes. There were more disruptions as renovation work was carried out while they were operating in the building. “Sometimes I worked until 1am just to catch up.” She was immensely proud when the Home Affairs office was voted best service point in KZN.
Travelled the country
Born in Ixopo, Marina ‘travelled South Africa flat’ (except for the Cape, she adds) as she moved around with her late husband who worked first on the railways and then in the furniture trade.
“We also stayed in Wasbank and Wesselsnek for a while. I worked in the Wasbank post office where my pay was R122 a month. But that could go a long way – after all, R2 of mince from the Wasbank butchery kept us going for a week!.”
Marina is a loving mother and grandmother to her five children – three girls and two boys. Her hobbies include music (she plays the piano), sunflowers,gardening and colouring-in! She recalls having to deal with sad moments when arranging death certificates. “You get to know people in this job and you get to share their emotions. Public servants must realise just how important they are to society.”

Marina has fond memories of travelling out into the deep rural areas of the province during Home Affairs campaigns. “I remember visiting a gogo who lived alone in a windowless hut. She was 92 and had lost her ID. She did not have food in her house. After helping her with the documents, we all gave her our sandwiches we were going to have for lunch. She then prayed for us; it was so special.”
It is moments like this that kept Marina going. Now, with her faithful Indian ringneck bird, Petrus, who spends most of her time on Marina’s shoulder, she is starting a new life in Bloemfontein where her caring skills will continue to bring relief to those in need.