Ms Alina Martins has a bleak future without an ID

All she ever wanted in her life was an identity document to prove that she is a South African citizen. She has tried all but all her efforts have come to a zero.

Ms Alina Martins (43) of Masakhane has had an ID problem since she was a teenager. She was born in Soweto and came to live in eMalahleni in 1995.

She said she used to stay with her granny and her elder sister and other relatives in the same house. Her mother left while she was still young to get married in Lesotho and her elder sister died last year in July also without an ID.

“I tried applying for an ID while young but I was told by my granny that we will swindle her grand daughter the house we were living in. My uncle who could have helped me also died in 1983. My first attempt was in 1995 and the last one was in 2016”.

Ms Martins has four children who are also struggling in school because they do not have ID’s.

Her 27-year-old daughter left school because of the ID problem and now her 16-year-old boy doing Grade 10 and her 12-year-old daughter are faced with the same problem as the school wants their identity documents.

She also has a five-year-old girl who needs to be registered for pre-school. She also wants to register for an RDP house.

Ms Alina Martins has an ID problem and that is affecting her four children and their future.

“I have tried all I can and all I meet is a big brick wall in front of me. I also think about the future of my children who will also have the same struggle and missed on their education which might to prove be bad to their future. All the people who could have helped me have died and I am left alone to face my problems with the children,” added Ms Martins.

Ms Martins have been referred to the relevant officials at the Department of Home Affairs and she is receiving help.