Home Affairs Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza returned to Clermont in Ethekwini in KwaZulu- Natal to hand over birth certificates to 100 recipients of the Late Birth Registration process. He was joined by the Mayor of Ethekwini, Cllr Cyril Xaba and local councillors at the Archie Gumede Thusong Centre in Clermont.

Deputy Minister Nzuza called on the recipients to spread the message that parents of newborn babies needed to ensure that they register the births while still at health facilities or nearest Home Affairs offices within 30 days.

“Parents of newborns who do not register their children within 30 days are burdening their children for as long as they do not have birth certificates. Children without birth certificates cannot access other services including social grants. They are effectively destined to be on the sidelines of life, unable to participate meaningfully,” said Deputy Minister Nzuza.

Deputy Minister Nzuza initially visited Clermont in May and community members alerted him to high numbers of South African adults without birth certificates and IDs. He instructed Home Affairs officials to assist this community.

The Department did a community screening and identified 110 people who were assisted to apply through the Late Registration of Birth process. During the verification part of the process, 54 people could not prove that they were South African. Some of these people were then asked to go and do DNA tests.

“The process of Late Registration of Birth is not easy and can take time because of all the required investigations and supporting documents. We are offering this service to fight against the scandal of invisibility where people live their entire lives without being documented anywhere,” said Deputy Minister Nzuza.

Mayor Xaba said Clermont had a fluctuating number of people without IDs because the township was established as a labour reserve which housed a high number of migrant workers.

“Some of the people who were assisted to receive IDs in the past have left Clermont and have been replaced by newcomers,” said Mayor Xaba.

He appealed to the Department to bring its mobile offices regularly to the Archie Gumede Thusong Centre to extend services.

The oldest beneficiary who received a birth certificate was a 64 year old lady while the youngest was one.

Deputy Minister Nzuza said one of the biggest contributors to Late Birth Registration were young parents who leave their newborn babies with their grandparents without having taken birth certificates for them.

He called on the community members protect their identity by ensuring that they do not enter into marriages of convenience.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Siya Qoza – Departmental Spokesperson 
Cell number: 082 898 1657

Mluleki Mntungwa – Mayoral Spokesperson 
Cell Number: 0609741140