Sowetan Online
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
The Department of Home Affairs has added yet another to its ever-increasing blunders.
After waiting for a barcoded identity document for four years, Motsumi Shumba, 21, of Montshioa in North West, is still trying to convince the department, which had declared him dead, that he is alive and well.
Shumba, a pupil at Kebalepile High School, applied for an ID in 2002.
He said his problems began a year after he had applied when, instead of being issued with an ID, he received a death certificate and a letter saying his ID had already been posted to the department's district office in Krugersdorp.
An angry Shumba said he had never set foot in Krugersdorp and knew no one there.
His uncle, Peter Shumba, was livid.
He complained about "the rudeness and lack of interest of home affairs' employees" when they tried to find out what had really happened to his nephew's ID.
"Those people said my nephew had been declared dead and if I didn't believe them I would have to pay R10 to see his 'death certificate'.
"I had no option but to pay the money," said Shumba senior.
In the death certificate issued on November 6, it states that Motsumi Shumba died on September 23 in Benoni. Shumba lamented that his nephew intended to apply for his learner driver's licence this month.
"Your ID is your life. It allows you to vote, get a driver's licence and many other things people who have IDs take for granted.
"If it happened that my nephew died tomorrow, what's going to happen?" he said.
Motsumi said he was concerned about his final exams.
"In matric they will need my identity number to write exams. The way I see it, it will take another four years before I see my ID," said Motsumi.
The Home Affairs communications department could not be reached for comment.