The Department of Home Affairs is now enforcing a penalty for late birth registration.
Home Affairs Deputy Minister Fatima Chohan has urged parents to register their children’s birth within 30 days or face paying a penalty for late registrations. Parents that register their children after the 30-day period, but within a period of a year, will be liable for a penalty fee according to the minister.
The admin fee for late registration but within the first year of birth is R70, Chohan said. She added that in 2010 the department used enormous resources to raise awareness about the importance of registering children within 30 days of their birth with the national population registration.
Registering children is important for the National Population Register, emphasised the deputy. The department has a presence in over 300 hospitals countrywide to make it easier for parents to register their children and the deputy minister said there was no reason why parents can not register the births of their children within the 30-day period.
