I'm a final-year student at North-West University at the Vaal Triangle Campus and I want to raise the problem of IDs for students.

I'm a final-year student at North-West University at the Vaal Triangle Campus and I want to raise the problem of IDs for students.

Every year many disadvantaged students forfeit their national student loan, NFSAS, bursaries and loans because they do not have an ID. Some are not allowed to continue their studies because they do not have an ID.

Last year I met a 23-year-old student who was still struggling to get her ID. She had to stop studying because she had not received her ID, which she applied for when she was 16.

At one stage she was told that her papers were lost. Later she was told the Home Affairs office in her area was closed and she must go to Vereeniging. She re-applied for a new ID and it was sent to Pretoria. She received her ID only in May, after I intervened. If I did not get involved she would not have secured a loan and a bursary.

I faxed a threatening letter in the morning and before lunch I received a call from the director of Home Affairs that there was no need for us to take legal action. He assured me that the ID would be ready within three weeks. We received the ID direct from the director.

This is not a problem only on my campus. It happens around the country.

Morena Tsotets, North-West University, Vanderbijlpark