Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Njabulo Nzuza has reaffirmed that only South African citizens are issued official birth certificates, not foreign nationals. This comes amid rising public concern about illegal immigration and identity fraud in South Africa.
Nzuza made the statement during a community outreach event in Mabopane, north of Tshwane, where 100 birth certificates and identity documents were handed over to citizens who had never been officially registered. Some beneficiaries had lived without any form of documentation for decades, including one individual born in 1973.
“Birth certificates are only issued to South Africans,” said Nzuza. “For foreign nationals, we issue a notice of birth — not a birth certificate.”
Why Citizenship Verification Matters
According to Nzuza, protecting the integrity of the national population register is a top priority for the department. He confirmed that some individuals have attempted to fraudulently register foreign nationals as South Africans — an act that the Department of Home Affairs is actively working to prevent.
“In South Africa, to be a citizen by birth, at least one parent must be South African. If we can’t trace a parent, we cannot assume citizenship,” Nzuza explained.
The department conducts interviews and verification checks to confirm eligibility before issuing documents, ensuring that the population register reflects only legitimate citizens.
Challenges in Registering Undocumented Children
Nzuza acknowledged that there are unique challenges in cases involving abandoned or orphaned children, especially when there’s no verifiable proof of South African parentage.
“If we cannot verify their origins, documentation becomes difficult. But every South African child deserves to be documented,” he said.
In such cases, social development agencies often step in, but verification remains key to official registration.
Call to Action: Register Within 10 Days
The deputy minister urged parents to register newborns within 10 days to avoid the need for lengthy late registration processes.
“We’re developing systems where parents can use fingerprints and real-time verification to register their children,” said Nzuza. “At hospitals with over 5,000 births a year, Home Affairs units are already on-site to register newborns before discharge.”
Restoring Dignity Through Documentation
The event in Mabopane was part of an ongoing campaign by Home Affairs to document South Africans who were previously excluded from the national register.
“We’re giving people access to dignity — to social grants, healthcare, and employment,” Nzuza said.
The initiative was supported by various government departments, including social development, labour, and the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA).
This campaign highlights the urgent need to modernise birth registration systems in South Africa while also safeguarding national data. As government digitises services, parents are reminded to act early to secure their children’s future.
{Source: The Citizen}
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