In yet another controversy involving the Department of Home Affairs, community members in the Elim area continue to wait for their identity documents while the department struggles to pay the landlord.

The landlord was forced to close the Home Affairs offices after the department had failed to pay rent at the Ramavhanda Complex. This has impacted negatively on residents who had applied for their IDs and passports. The landlord has locked the offices full of people's IDs and passports.

The offices have not been functional since August last year, while people continue waiting in vain. The landlord, who is also a local businessman and medical doctor, Dr Andy Ramavhanda, confirmed last Thursday that the department owes him R150 000 for rent. "I was forced to lock the offices since the department was unable to pay the rent," he said.

Ramavhanda said that he had to move a shop that was operating in his building after the department had approached him to rent office space. "I even divided the offices and also donated an information board that has been placed at a strategic place for direction, at my expense," he added.

A concerned parent, Ms Thandi Shikuele, said that her daughter Khanyisa had applied for an ID in September last year. She said when she contacted the department's head office in Pretoria, they told her that her daughter's ID had been issued a long time ago and that she could not apply for another one. "It is obvious that the ID is locked inside the Elim offices, because officials have confirmed that there are IDs and passports inside," she said.

She added: "My daughter also failed to go for a driver’s license test because she had no ID. This is very bad and it is really affecting her." The angry Shikuele said that her daughter had also lost her bank card and when she contacted her bank, she was told to produce an ID.

Many people could not go to Bulawayo in Zimbabwe last December, where the Zion Christian Church had opened a branch, as a result of the fact that their passports were locked inside the Elim Home Affairs office.

Provincial spokesperson for the department Mr Sam Moremi said he was aware of the matter, but he could not comment in this regard. He referred our reporter to the provincial manager, Ms Flora Motsitsi, who was not available for comment. Her phone kept on ringing without response. Ramavhanda, however, said he could not comment further as the matter was being handled by his lawyers.

Home Affairs officials have started gathering at the Elim Hospital. Mr Avhatakali Marole, the hospital's liaison officer, confirmed that the department was operating from one of the offices in the hospital. "We have only allowed the department to issue birth and death certificates from the hospital," he said.