In an unprecedented move in the history of South Africa, civic movement Soil of Africa will literally be collaborating with the Department of Home Affairs to unblock the Identity Documents of victims whose documents were rendered null and void by the department for various reasons.
Jubilant Soil of Africa chairperson Bongani Ramontja told Tshwane Talks that the civic movement had a fruitful meeting with the department’s chief director Baba Samciga on Thursday whereby it was agreed that as there are about 720 000 blocked IDs in South Africa, this matter must be resolved urgently.
“As Soil of Africa we have around 10 000 people who are also members of our civic movement who have reported cases of blocked IDs to us, and we are going to assist them to get their IDs unblocked, but we are also going to help other victims of blocked IDs who are not our members, and they are welcome to contact our officials,” said Ramontja.
“But equally, we are very conscious and sensitive regarding this matter because we won’t allow any person to come and use Soil of Africa for their own benefit, so if you know that you are an illegal foreigner don’t take chances by trying to use Soil of Africa as a vehicle to assist you in something that is not right because we only want to help those whose documents were blocked even though they are South African citizens; were born here; have voted in the 1994 elections and went to school here in South Africa,” explained Ramontja.
“Home Affairs has asked us to second at least 50 of our volunteers to them as they are short-staffed so that they can help in accelerating the process of unblocking the said IDs, and these volunteers will present themselves to Home Affairs on Friday,” he said.
“We must be patient with the Department of Home Affairs as they are short-staffed and I am pleased that our people are now excited and have hope that their predicament will finally be resolved with the assistance of Soil of Africa,” enthused Ramontja.
“We are going to protect the Department of Home Affairs; we are going to protect the IDs of our people and we are going to protect our country with everything that we have at our disposal,” vowed Ramontja.
He revealed that some people’s IDs have been blocked for 18 years now and thanked the department’s officials for finally having agreed to rescue victims of blocked IDs from their plight.
Earlier in the day Ramontja, together with members of Soil of Africa and several victims of blocked IDs picketed outside the department’s headquarters in Tshwane.
Later on Ramontja and several delegates of Soil of Africa then went into the offices of the department where they engaged the department’s officials in a meeting regarding blocked IDs.
After the meeting Ramontja gave them feedback and announced that a settlement has been reached with the department’s officials.
This brought tears of joy to many of them and they said they now see hope and light at the end end of the proverbial tunnel.
“We are grateful to Soil of Africa and very happy about this new development because this is the first time something like this has happened and we therefore regard it as a miracle,” said one of the victims as she wiped tears off her face.
“I’m so happy and now I have confidence that my block ID will be unblocked a d all thanks to Soil of Africa civic movements,” said Rose Ndlovu.
“I’m grateful for Soil of Africa civic movements it been long overdue and ever since we protest all this years we never ever had meeting with home affairs officials but Soil of Africa make it happen and we thanked them so much,” said Alfred Nkuna.
“I advice all who have problems of ID to get in touch with Soil of Africa civic movements and get help and I’m happy and I see progress,” said Hilda Nhlakuna.