An Alicedale man claims he has been cheated by the Department of Home Affairs after he made several payments to have his surname changed on his identity document. He has yet to see any action.
An Alicedale man claims he has been cheated by the Department of Home Affairs after he made several payments to have his surname changed on his identity document. He has yet to see any action.
In 2004, Nkululeko Tsewu (52) applied to change his surname from his mother’s surname, Tsewu to his father’s surname: Kula.
The department required that he pay R238 for the transaction. Tsewu paid and was told it would take six months for the paperwork to be processed. After the six months had passed, he says Home Affairs asked him to pay an additional R58 – which he again paid.
He then received a letter from the department requesting his parents’ marriage certificates which he could not provide.
“All these documents they ask for are nowhere to be found because my parents have long passed away,” said Tsewu.
More money
The last letter that was sent by the department asked Tsewu to pay R235 on top of what he had already paid.
Tsewu receives a state pension every month which supports himself and his five children.
“I would like to have my father’s surname as it will give us rights to the family. I am not happy at all and as far as I can see nothing is coming into place and they should give back my money,” said Tsewu.
District Manager Xolile Sibhejele said that the Department of Home Affairs conducts monthly visits to Alicedale to issue documents to people who have applied or would like to apply for personal documentation.
He said that there might have been mistakes with their system because the amount of R235 that Tsewu was asked to pay is still outstanding on the department’s system.
Sibhejele said that Tsewu needs to go to the Department of Home Affairs where he should bring his ID and proof of payment and they will deal with the matter urgently.
