Woman (60) struggles to get an ID

An elderly Clermont resident and her son may not be able to exercise their right to vote because they do not have identity documents. Sixty-year-old Simangele Mavundla said she has never had an ID.

Mavundla who lives with her son (20) who also does not have an ID, said she has tried many times to apply for an ID but was told to bring someone who is 10 years older than her.

“I am now 60 years old, where am I going to get someone who is 70 years old? I do not even have close relatives.

Mavundla lives in a tiny shack that she built herself after she was left homeless when her previous shack burned down in 2012.

“I wish to lead a normal life. At the moment I feel like I am not a South African citizen, I feel like a ghost.

“I have never had a good job, I earn money by washing people’s clothes and collecting cardboard boxes  and plastics.

She added that she believes that her life could have turned out for the better if she had an ID.

“This really breaks my heart and I now suffer from high blood pressure because of the stress.

“This year is the elections and I have wished to cast my vote since 1994. I have tried then with no luck. Other people did get temporary ID’s to cast their vote but I was left aside,” she said.

Mavundla who should be applying for pension because of her age and the circumstances she lives under can not apply because of her ID issue.

Ward 21 councillor, Bongani Gumede said he is aware of the issue.

“Mavundla approached me about the ID problem. I wrote her a letter and referred her to a constitutional office of parliament which is here in Clermont and a resource centre which assists people who struggles to get ID’s.

“I was hoping that she would be assisted, as there was a campaign just before the first election registration last year for people to apply for their ID’s.”

Ronnie Perumal, Pinetown office manager, Department of Home Affairs said they will send out a staff member to her house to assess the case.