Twins are finally SA citizens – after decades with no identity

Two Hammanskraal twins were finally granted South African birth certificates – after they had won a two-decade-long fight to be fully acknowledged as citizens.

Lebo and Lebogang Munyai have tried for years to be registered with the Department of Home Affairs, leading to them being ineligible for placement within a school.

This dilemma had been passed down to their children as they also could not be registered as citizens.

The DA Women’s Network (Dawn) of Gauteng North were told of their plight and jumped in to assist the sisters, who will be turning 32 in May.

Gauteng North Dawn chairperson Sandy Khathutshelo Mbuvha said a lack of free DNA testing for indigent South African fathers or relatives was behind the twins’ and many other South Africans’ dilemmas.

“Many South Africans are unable to prove their relation to a South African citizen where the mother cannot be located or has passed away. This often leads to a vicious cycle of multi-generational deprivation.

“The Munyais’ process of obtaining the needed DNA information was arduous. It entailed extensive correspondence with laboratory institutions to secure the opportunity to prove their relation to their only surviving paternal aunt through a DNA test,” she said.

Following the test results, the Department of Home Affairs finally registered the twins’ birth on February 2.

Mbuvha said that the opportunities all South Africans should by right enjoy are, at last, now within reach for Lebo and Lebogang – as well as their children, who will now be documented and recognised as citizens, giving access to child-grant support and education.

“Over half a million undocumented South African children remain in our school system.”

The DA called on Home Affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi to ensure that the national laboratory does free DNA tests for indigent South African family members where such a test is required by Home Affairs to prove citizenship.

The minister has yet to give any indication that this will be done.

“The right to an identity is enshrined as a basic human right in our constitution, which is a basic right for every citizen – not least the most vulnerable in our communities,” said Mbuvha.

“Dawn Gauteng North is proud of the role played by the DA in addressing this injustice by helping Lebo and Lebogang be fully recognised as true South Africans,” she said.

Dawn Gauteng North further invited eligible residents in Tshwane facing similar predicaments to send a detailed email to dawngn@da.org.za.

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