VANDERBIJLPARK. – An angry resident expressed ire that he could not obtain the new ID smart card because he was not born in South Africa.
He learned this from Home Affairs.
Not only that, he learned he could not apply to SASSA for a pension because he did not have a smart card ID.
SASSA confirmed that an applicant has to be born in South Africa to obtain a new smart card ID and needs the latter to apply for a SASSA pension.
SASSA asked how long the complainant had resided in South Africa without trying to become a citizen, but Walkden has been a South African citizen since 1980. The catch is, he wasn’t born here.
His oldest son Mark (48) was also refused a smart ID card although he served four years in the SA Defence Force.
Walkden subsequently learned that his other son Karl (45), who was in the SAPS for 19 years and lives in the Cape, was given a card. He also was not born in South Africa.
“We are all SA citizens,” said Walkden.
He then received an e-mail from someone else who was not born in South Africa but who also possesses a smart card.
