Cape Town - Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has urged thousands of people to come and collect their identity documents across the country as special votes get under way this weekend.
Motsoaledi said during the registration weekend of September they had 370 000 IDs that had not been collected at their offices.
He said this number could be higher now.
He said with elections now taking place, they have extended the working hours at Home Affairs from 8am to 5pm today and tomorrow.
On Monday Home Affairs offices will open from 7am until 9pm.
He said they were concerned there were thousands of IDs that had not been collected.
Some of the IDs have been in their offices for two years.
Motsoaledi said it was difficult to understand why people never show up to collect their IDs.
“It’s something difficult to understand. On the registration weekend of September 18 and 19 there were 370 000 IDs that were uncollected. During those two days of registration 10 000 people came to collect their IDs, and I haven’t checked how many are remaining, because they keep on increasing.
“Remember, people keep on applying. What is puzzling us is why a person takes their time to apply for an ID which they never come to collect, because some of them have been there for two years. Every time a person applies for an ID, when it is ready and it is ready within five to 13 days we send an SMS because people leave their numbers there. On the weekend of September 18 and 19 all 370 000 people were re-sent the SMS again to say come and collect,” said Motsoaledi.
He said during the special votes this weekend the department would be on hand to help those who need IDs.
He said the offices will be opened for the next three days until after the voting on Monday.
POLITICAL BUREAU