Another five years ID terror story
"All I know is my date of birth and my parents' ID numbers but even with that information, I am getting nowhere near to obtaining a new ID. I cannot even vote let alone get a payslip because I do not possess an ID".
Another ID terror story – this time told by Siphiwe Goodwill Ngobese (33) who is originally from Ncepheni, a small village near Isandlwana.
Siphiwe lost his ID in 2013 and has attempted to re-apply for a new document up to three times without success.
He told the Courier that ‘the fact that he was born at home and not in a hospital – where birth certificates are usually readily available – may be the main reason why he is having trouble reapplying’.
Siphiwe first applied at the Nquthu Home Affairs where he was told to bring his parents as he doesn’t even have a birth certificate. He explained to the officer that he had brought with him his grandmother as both his parents had passed on and he does not have their death certificates as they lived in Johannesburg.
“The woman assisting me was very insensitive – she told me that without my mother she won’t be able to help me. I failed to understand this because I didn’t have a problem when I got my ID the first time and used my grandmother as my guardian,” explained Simpiwe.
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The second time he tried to apply last year at Dundee Home Affairs his fingerprints were sent to Pretoria and the results came back saying they don’t match his ID number.
The perplexed Siphiwe didn’t know what to do as he doesn’t even know his ID number off by heart and with the passing of his grandmother, he did not know who else to turn to for a shoulder to cry on. I have done all that I possibly can and with no ID I am even having trouble at work as I have no bank account.
“All I know is my date of birth and my parents’ ID numbers but even with that information, I am getting nowhere near to obtaining a new ID. I cannot even vote let alone get a payslip because I do not possess an ID”.
On March 15 Siphiwe went back to Dundee Home Affairs with his aunt hoping a family representative will be of assistance but that did not make any difference.
“I hope that the Courier can assist me as I have nowhere else to go,” said Siphiwe. Siphiwe can be contacted at his workplace: Glendee Fertilizer and Lime on 034 212 3425.
