Illegally blocked ID documents by the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) are under the spotlight once again. This follows hundreds of protesters marching to Home Affairs’ head office in Pretoria last week.
The march was organised by civil justice group, Soil of Africa. And central to the issue of blocked ID documents is the fact that victims can no longer access basic services without them.
MARCH OVER BLOCK ID DOCUMENTS
Since May of this year, the South African Social Security Agency has been using blocked ID documents to tighten its spending. Under the auspices of biometric verification, thousands of SASSA grant beneficiaries have had their social welfare suspended abruptly.
In turn, the agency argues these suspensions were only due to suspicious activity or asset/means test eligibility. However, civil society groups are up in arms over the way the agency has gone about it. Specifically, how the department has not followed the 90-day review process.
PREVENT IDENTITY FRAUD
Nevertheless, last week’s march over blocked ID documents saw hundreds of protesters travel overnight by bus. Many slept outside Home Affairs’ head office in Pretoria to make their point. They demand their blocked ID documents be overturned, reports GroundUp.
As such, Soil of Africa says many IDs have been blocked without notice or reasons given. And without any legal form of identification, victims are unable to access their social grants, jobs, and other services available to normal residents.
QUARTER OF A MILLION AFFECTED
Nevertheless, the Gauteng High Court declared back in 2024 that it was unconstitutional for the department to block IDs without notice, timeous investigation and an appeal process. Nearly 750 000 ID documents have been blocked.
Protesters say, despite the court order, nothing has changed. “The conduct of Home Affairs is inhumane, unconstitutional and unlawful. We’re unable to get jobs or even register the birth of our kids,” argued a protester.
DEPARTMENT RESPONSE
In turn, the DHA responded to the march like so. “The department is busy with verification process on a case-by-case basis. Therefore, we must be careful because if we can unblock them without properly checking. Or we will end up with people who are illegally in the country,” a DHA spokesperson said.
HAVE YOU BEEN NEGATIVELY AFFECTED BY BLOCKED ID DOCUMENTS?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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