By Masoka Dube
For months Vhela Sibuyi from Rolle Village in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga couldn’t open a bank account and no one was willing to tell him why.
But after a bank official investigated the matter, he finally discovered that his ID was blocked by Home Affairs.
He went to the Home Affairs offices who confirmed that the ID was blocked because he shared the ID number with another person.
He said he gave the department every proof that they wanted including a letter from the school he attended as a child as well as his birth certificate, but still he did not get help.
Since then, Vhela says his life has not been easy.
“They said the matter will be resolved after some months but it’s been three years. This problem affects me badly because I can’t get a decent job. In fact I can’t do anything. I currently work as a driver and I am not sure if I will be able to renew it,” said the worried Vhela.
He told Scrolla.Africa that he has been to the local home affairs offices in Thulamahashe and also went to the head office in Pretoria but he never got help.
“I have been struggling to get a permanent job because no one is interested in hiring a man without an ID. Soon I will lose my temporary job because I will be unable to renew my driver’s licence” said Vhela.
Vhela is one of the hundreds of South Africans who are affected by Home Affairs blocking ID books.
In December 2020, the department reported that there were over 800,000 blocked ID books.
Thandeka Chauke from Lawyers for Human Rights has advised Vhela to lodge a complaint with the South African Human Rights Commission or the office of the Public Protector or visit a legal aid organisation.
“LHR currently has 114 active cases. Over 80% of the LHR cases concern South African citizens. LHR receives blocked ID queries every week,” said Chauke.
Department of Home Affairs spokesperson Siyabulela Qoza did not respond to the media inquiry even though his office confirmed receiving it.
Pictured above: Vhela Sibuyi
Image source: Supplied
