Mom relieved after Home Affairs runaround

JOHANNESBURG: After two years of being given the runaround by the Department of Home Affairs, Nthabiseng Molefe’s children are finally on the government’s database.

That is because she finally has her twins’ birth certificates.

A happy Molefe said she received a phone call at about 4pm yesterday and was told to collect them.

“I wasn’t sure I’d get them because I have been going there many times and not getting any assistance. When I arrived at the office, I found them holding (a copy of) The Star. I wasn’t even aware that the story about my struggles with the birth certificates was published.

“They asked me why I took them to the papers and I said it was because they hadn’t been able to help me. They then gave me the certificates.”

The Star reported last Tuesday on how a Germiston Home Affairs officer, who she could identify only as Eddie, allegedly made a mistake on the forms that resulted in Molefe having to go back there more than 20 times in an attempt to get her twins’ documents processed.

“He told me to leave and that he will call me. However, five months went by without him calling.”

Molefe went back but was allegedly told that there was another ID number of a baby younger than her twins, which was attached to her ID number.

“They said they could not process the twins’ certificates because of that and they would need to send that ID number to head office in Pretoria to cancel it,” she said.

For two years, Molefe tried, and failed, to get the birth certificates. She was asked to go to the SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) with that ID number to see if there was anyone receiving a grant for that child.

She went to get proof three times after Home Affairs officials lost her documents the first two times.

Departmental spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete did not respond to requests for comment.

“I’m very happy,” Molefe said. “I’m going to Sassa to apply for a child support grant and will use that money to register the twins at creche.”