Luzuko Pongoma
Luzuko Pongoma
Bonginkosi Mkhize may have to defer his dream of becoming a banker: he cannot be enrolled at university because he does not have an ID.
But Mkhize, 20, of Soweto, applied for an ID two years ago and has since then been waiting for the Department of Home Affairs to issue him with the ID .
Meanwhile he cannot register for his second year towards a diploma in banking at the University of Johannesburg. Last year the university was lenient and gave him a year to get an ID.
He said this year his aunt, who was paying for his studies, was turned away by the university when she went to pay his fees.
Mkhize first applied for an ID in 2007 when he was still in matric. He was told that his birth certificate was duplicated. He and his mother were summoned to the home affairs offices to answer questions to prove that the birth certificate was indeed his.
His mother had to go to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital to get medical documents that proved he was her son and was born there.
"They told us to reapply for another ID. That was in 2007 - and I am still waiting," he said.
His mother, Zanele Mkhize, said: "Bonginkosi is the hope of the family. When he completes his studies he will help his two younger siblings. But now thanks to Home Affairs that might not happen."
Home Affairs spokesman Joseph Mohajane said Bonginkosi's ID was in the system and he would investigate why it had taken so long to be issued.
"We will also look at the possibility of helping him register at the university this year," he said.
Student in limbo after ID bungle
Luzuko Pongoma
Luzuko Pongoma
Bonginkosi Mkhize may have to defer his dream of becoming a banker: he cannot be enrolled at university because he does not have an ID.
But Mkhize, 20, of Soweto, applied for an ID two years ago and has since then been waiting for the Department of Home Affairs to issue him with the ID .
Meanwhile he cannot register for his second year towards a diploma in banking at the University of Johannesburg. Last year the university was lenient and gave him a year to get an ID.
He said this year his aunt, who was paying for his studies, was turned away by the university when she went to pay his fees.
Mkhize first applied for an ID in 2007 when he was still in matric. He was told that his birth certificate was duplicated. He and his mother were summoned to the home affairs offices to answer questions to prove that the birth certificate was indeed his.
His mother had to go to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital to get medical documents that proved he was her son and was born there.
"They told us to reapply for another ID. That was in 2007 - and I am still waiting," he said.
His mother, Zanele Mkhize, said: "Bonginkosi is the hope of the family. When he completes his studies he will help his two younger siblings. But now thanks to Home Affairs that might not happen."
Home Affairs spokesman Joseph Mohajane said Bonginkosi's ID was in the system and he would investigate why it had taken so long to be issued.
"We will also look at the possibility of helping him register at the university this year," he said.
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