Johannesburg - Joseph Khoza has lost an international job, had to repeat matric, can't register his daughter in school and can't access his money from a bank.
This is all because of a Department of Home Affairs mix-up that has seen his ID blocked on and off since 1988 because it repeatedly alleges he is an illegal immigrant from Mozambique.
Khoza was born in South Africa 47 years ago to a South African mother and Mozambican father - and The Star has seen documents proving this.
The first time he encountered a problem was when, as a 19-year-old, he returned to South Africa after visiting Mozambique for his uncle's funeral.
“In Komatipoort I got arrested with my father. I was kept in jail and out of school for six weeks. They forcefully deported me to Mozambique. It traumatised me because it made me fail matric.”
Eventually, in 1997, im-mediately after again being wrongfully arrested by the Home Affairs immigration division in Pretoria, Khoza was released and issued with an ID.
During his career he spent four years working for an international construction company in Zambia and Ghana.
But his ID woes were soon to resurface.
“In January 2013, realising that my passport would expire, I applied for a new passport. I flew back to Ghana and wrote a letter for my wife to fetch the passport on my behalf,” he explained.
“Then my wife called me to say they want you back in South Africa because you've got a problem. That's when the story came up that my ID was blocked and a passport cannot be issued. They said I’m (an) illegal from Mozambique.”
Since then, Khoza has been trying in vain to get his ID unblocked.
He has submitted numerous documents, including his mother’s ID document and a letter from his birth hospital. He has opened a case online and has asked for help at various Home Affairs branches.
Problems with his ID also cost him two jobs.
Although many Home Affairs staff members had gone out of their way to try to assist him, when he approached a manager at one of the branches for assistance, he was met with rudeness.
“I said to her, 'What do you want me to submit to prove to you that I’m South African?' Then she said nothing. She was very rude. I asked again, 'How can you help me?' Then she replied, 'The only thing I can help you with is call the police, arrest you and have you deported.' She said go upstairs to immigration and report yourself.”
In desperation, he has even emailed Minister Malusi Gigaba, but still he has had no joy.
“I’ve lost a job. I’m relying on a driving licence which has been invalid for several years. My child cannot be registered at school because the ID will kick her out. I cannot go to the bank to access my money. Life is very difficult. I can't describe the frustration I'm feeling.”
The department's spokesman, Mayihlome Tshwete, claimed the confusion regarding Khoza’s ID had been cleared up and he should once again apply for the document.
“Information submitted with the application could not be corroborated when checked against the Home Affairs national identification system and, naturally, we had to contact the client to verify.
“We are legally bound to satisfy ourselves that an applicant is who they claim to be before we can grant an identity document,” he said.
Tshwete condemned Khoza’s treatment by a Home Affairs manager and urged him to lay an official complaint against her.
“The department does not condone any form of unprofessional conduct towards clients by any of our officials,” he said.
The Star will publish an update once Khoza has successfully received his smart- card ID.
@Gabi_Falanga
TIMELINE
* 1988: Joseph Khoza and his father are arrested in Komatipoort. Khoza is detained for six weeks. He fails matric as a result.
* 1991: Khoza completes matric.
* 1997: Khoza completes a diploma. He is arrested by Home Affairs’ immigration officials.
* 2003: Khoza applies for and receives a passport.
* 2010-2013: Khoza works in Zambia and Ghana.
* 2013: Khoza’s passport expires and he applies for a new one. It's not issued and he loses his job.
* 2015: Home Affairs tells Khoza its investigation is concluded.
* August 2015: Khoza realises the ID has been unblocked and applies for his smart card.
* December 2015: Khoza's smart card doesn't work.
* January 2016: Kempton Park Home Affairs fails to assist Khoza and he goes to the Germiston branch, where he again submits all his supporting documents.
* March 2016: Home Affairs officials take Khoza’s files to the head office in Pretoria. They have not responded to Khoza’s follow-up emails.
* May 2016: Khoza contacts The Star.
The Star