MURAGA – Can you imagine the pain of a poor, 76-year-old senior citizen who has not started receiving the old age grant because of an ID problem?

This is the sad story of Solomon Nethanani of Muraga village, east of Thohoyandou, who has lost hope of ever enjoying the old age grant before he dies. “Maybe they want to enjoy my money after I die. I have done everything to fix the problem of my ID but I am now only waiting for death because my health is deteriorating on a daily basis,” said the sickly, hopeless Nethanani.

Nethanani said he was born on 18 August 1929, but his ID, issued in 1996, mistakenly indicates that he was born on 30 May 1941. Sine then, he has done everything to rectify the mistake but he claims he always receives a raw deal from the Department of Home Affairs. “I have all the points to prove that I was born in 1929. Even my late parents told me that I was born during the year in which the first plane landed in Venda (1929). That was the time of the war between Madadzhe and Phaswana, who were fighting for the Mphaphuli territory…”

Nethanani said he went to Home Affairs at Makwarela ten times this year alone, not mentioning other visits he had made during previous years. “I have submitted countless affidavits and letters from my headman and nothing has ever materialized. Officials there just keep on telling me that they will attend to my problem. I can’t believe that it can take so many years to rectify the mistake while all the evidence is there. I also visited Home Affairs with my headman, Ntikedzeni Mphaphuli, but nothing is happening. I need the mistake to be rectified so that I can apply for the old age grant before I die…”

Ironically, Nethanani’s wife, Masindi, who was born in 1943, has been receiving the old age grant for the past years. “Masindi is younger than I and she is receiving the grant. Her money is not enough to support all eight family members. What wrong have I done to deserve all this? Home Affairs should either sort out my problem now, or I die a disappointed man.”

A senior official at Makwarela Home Affairs, Mmboneni Mphigalale, said he sympathised with Nethanani for his problem which has taken such a long time to fix. He advised Nethanani to visit his office as a matter of urgency. “I am deeply touched by his story and I will personally assist him to fix his ID problem because he is entitled to the old age grant. He needs to come and see me personally and he must bring along the affidavit confirming that he was born in 1929. He must also be accompanied by a close relative or a traditional leader. I will deal with his problem personally because our main aim as a department is to assist our communities for a better life.”