Ms Maria Mudzugu (60) of Muledane lost her old Venda ID book in June 1996. She has been trying to apply for a bar-coded ID from the Department of Home Affairs for the past ten years, but she hasn’t received it yet.

She is still holding the useless old Venda government temporary ID, which is no longer accepted in the democratic South Africa.

She said she has now lost hope as a result of the poor treatment she claims to have received from the Department of Home Affairs.

Although she is poor, Mudzugu was unable to get an RDP house, because she does not have an ID. She could not even apply for indigent subsidy from the municipality, due to her ID problem. She was also denied the opportunity to practice her democratic right to vote, because of the ID misfortune.

Mudzugu says the problem started when she lost her Venda ID in central Thohoyandou in June 1995. “I used to go to the Home Affairs offices at Makwarela often, over the past ten years. At times, they filled in some forms and told me that I would receive my ID, but nothing has happened. I have applied for the new ID for more than eight times but I receive a raw deal from the Department of Home Affairs.”

Mr Mboneni Mphigalale of the Department of Home Affairs at Makwarela confirmed that Mudzugu “was not on their system”. He invited Mudzugu to come to his office so that he could assist her personally. He was surprised to learn that she was still holding the old Venda temporary ID. “She needs to come with the letter from the headman and someone older than she is to confirm her birth date. She must also bring the old Venda temporary ID which will help us in our investigations. I will personally attend to her, because I know this is very serious and urgent. It is her right to get the new bar-coded ID as a matter of urgency…”