Department embarks on community development campaigns

By Ofentse Mokae
06 February 2010

The Home Affairs Department is embarking on three campaigns this year focusing on Late registration of Birth (LRB) for children older than 15 years who have never had a birth certificate.

The department says the campaign also includes Birth registration for children between 0-14 years as well Identity Document registration for children 15 years and older with birth certificates.

Regional Campaigns Coordinator in the Cape Metropole Lamla Makubalo says the purpose of these campaigns, stems from the directive of minister Dlamini-Zuma and Cabinet to ensure that by end of 2010, the problems in the process of these areas are eradicated.

“As it is beset with problems, where foreign nationals try to fraudulently acquire SA Citizenship through this process, albeit the screening process,” Makubalo says.

Makubulo says the department is also embarking on a registration drive of all children below 15 years with birth certificates, so that at 15 years they can apply for IDs and have them at 16 years as our Constitution prescribes.

“The LRB campaign is already in progress and will be concluded at the end of the current year,” add Makubalo.

He says the other two campaigns, which will run concurrently, will focus mainly at schools, hospitals, youth centers, etc and will commence.

He says the Minister will launch the campaigns nationally, during February 2010, however DHA offices have already started with the campaigns at their respective areas of operation.