A Bloemfontein man, Vuyo Liphoko, has been struggling with the Department of Home Affairs for over 15 years, facing ongoing issues with his identity documents that have severely impacted his life.
Liphoko’s ordeal began in 2003 when he was in Grade 10 in Botshabelo and applied for an identity document (ID) both privately and through his school. Despite repeated applications, he never received his ID before matriculating in 2006, which prevented him from pursuing tertiary education.
“My birth certificate was an old handwritten one with just my birth date. I applied in Botshabelo and Welkom, where my family lives, but nothing happened,” said Liphoko.
He was later advised to apply in Brandfort, his place of birth, yet still had no success. With no ID, he had to abandon his dreams of becoming a medical doctor and take on informal jobs. Liphoko eventually received his ID in 2007. However, another challenge arose in 2009 when his family attempted to amend their surname to his father’s. While his parents and siblings successfully changed theirs, Liphoko’s surname remained unchanged.
“We asked why, and they said they did not know,” he explained. Now, 15 years later, Vuyo is still trying to rectify this issue.
In 2023, he applied again at Home Affairs in Bloemfontein, submitting all required documents. “They told me I would receive an SMS or phone call. I received neither,” he said. When he followed up, officials claimed there were no records of him. After being sent from one official to another, Liphoko was eventually directed to Brandfort’s records office in Bultfontein, where he discovered missing pages in the record books.
“I am now at a point where I cannot get married. My children do not have my surname,” he said. “My father has even passed on without me having his surname.”
Despite these challenges and the endless back-and-forth, Liphoko is hoping for a positive outcome. “I want to know if someone sold my identity or if there’s any foul play on the department’s side. I want that person to be held accountable, and I want the Department of Home Affairs to be held accountable because I’m not responsible for writing my own name in the child registration unit – neither are my parents. There were people assigned to do a specific job, and they failed to do it,” he said.
When approached for comment, Home Affairs spokesperson Siya Qoza stated that he received a message indicating that the matter had been resolved and is currently verifying how it was addressed before providing further details.
Liphoko has confirmed that the department contacted him, but both he and Bloemfontein Courant are still waiting for clarity on the outcome and how the matter was resolved.
Justine Fortuin
