Mom registered as ‘male’ so daughter battles to get ID

A young Mpumalanga woman’s dream of studying law has been shattered after the department of home affairs “refused her identity document [ID] application because her mother was registered as a male”.

Nomfundo Maphosa, 20, from Masoyi outside White River, said she was ready to study law at Tshwane University of Technology, but couldn’t register because she has no ID.

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Home affairs made mistake with ID

She said her application was rejected on several occasions on the grounds that she was linked to her mother’s documentation.

She said this was caused by the home affairs officials who mistakenly recorded her mother as a male.

“Every time I try to apply, they instruct me to come with a legitimate ID of my mother.

“I tried on several occasions to explain, but they said I would only get the ID as soon as my mother’s documentation’s error had been fixed.

“The error was committed by the home affairs officials, but I am the one suffering.

“What makes things worse is that my father died years ago. If he was alive, maybe his documents would be of help,” said Maphosa.

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Potential student pleads for help

Maphosa, who completed Grade 12 at Jerusalem High School three years ago, said she has sleepless nights thinking that her peers continued their studies, while she remained idling at home.

She said she visited different home affairs offices trying to get assistance but to no avail.

“I am pleading with the department to at least write a letter stating that they are still trying to fix problems surrounding my mother’s ID so that I can be able to go to school. Life is hard…”