Gauteng man’s life on hold after nine-year ID block

A Gauteng man’s life is in limbo after the department of home affairs blocked his ID nine years ago.

Justinus Noyane, a former mine worker from Sebokeng in the Vaal, claims his ID was invalidated in Klerksdorp because of suspicion that he may be a foreign national as he often travelled to Lesotho.

Three of his children were based in that country while two were in South Africa.

Noyane lost hope after many promised to unblock ID

Noyane said he had lost hope in the department after promises on several occasions that his documentation would be unblocked.

“I no longer trust the government after they promised me that my issue would be sorted out but to no avail.

ALSO READ: Home Affairs assists over 100 000 pupils in three months: here’s how to apply for your ID

“I heard that the department is calling on those whose IDs have been blocked to come forward to get assistance. My case is different because the head office said my ID was blocked at the regional offices level.

“Be that as it may I will make use of that opportunity, even though I have lost hope because the evidence that they want I submitted many years ago.

“If the national office says it is happy with my ID, but the local office continues to victimise me, it shows that some people are not doing their job properly, or don’t care about the community.

‘This problem has affected my life badly’

“This problem has affected my life badly. I can’t even afford to provide for my family. I worked for a mining firm in Klerksdorp for more than 19 years and my pension fund cannot be processed because of the invalidated documentation.

“Even the banks and other institutions are refusing to assist me because of this.”

ALSO READ: ID blocked? You have 30 days to explain why it shouldn’t be cancelled

Noyane said the problem was affecting his children as they were unable to continue with their studies because he could not access his finances. Noyane was born on a farm in Meyerton and showed The Citizen documents supporting his claim.

Matter being attended to

The Citizen saw the letter written by the farm owner confirming that he was born at Kookfontein farm in Meyerton in 1964.

He also shared his ID book issued by the apartheid government.

Home affairs spokesperson Siyabulela Qoza said Noyane’s matter was being attended to.