Identity theft robs woman of any chance of a life

GEDLEMBANE – A 33-year-old woman’s life has been one closed door after another for almost 12 years due to a serious case of identity theft. She discovered she was sharing an ID with a certain woman in Katlehong and another in Germiston, Gauteng.

Ms Sandra Zitha said all her dreams in life are shattered as she cannot do anything to improve it.
“My life is a living hell as I cannot do anything I can’t get a job or open accounts. I can’t even get a social grant for my disability, since home affairs told me that I share an ID with some people who I don’t even know,” said Zitha.

The saga started in 2005 when she went to home affairs to apply for an identity document as she was preparing for her final matric examinations.

“It was my first time applying for an ID, but I could not believe my ears when they told me that I already had an ID according to their system.

“My father also tried several times to get clarity on this matter, but they kept saying the same thing. One of the staff said it meant I was sharing an ID with someone in Gauteng. We even have the same personal details, my names and surname.

Read: Buried alive by home affairs

“When they take my fingerprints, the system shows another woman from Germiston.

The first time it showed another woman who lives in Katlehong. I am confused and I don’t understand what is going on,” she said.

Last week Zitha tried to revisit the matter at the department, but was told she needed to wait another five years.

“I was told that I must go home and relax because it might take five years so solve my problem because I am not the only one who has a problem with an ID.

How long am I going to struggle because of this? I am not even able to get some temporary jobs or be a domestic worker.
“I sell fruit and vegetables, but this still doesn’t help as you know that in business sometimes things don’t go the way you want,” she concluded.