Department of Home Affairs
reviews and complaints

Hi Sir / Man ... is there a problem if i qeu for people outside HA on the pavement ... we where standing there for 3years now ... all of a suden its been stop at Heidelberg HA .. I am a pensioner and doing this for extra money ... Apparently the by the Manager ... head office stop this at all the branches byt all the branches around us is still doing this ... then if it is so and something happen like a accident happe HA could be sue ... Thanks for your time ...Dawid Stuart [protected] mail [protected]@gmail.com

I have been married to a south African for 5 years and I have been living in South Africa since then, for the first 2 years of our marriage I got my spousal visa for 2 years, thereafter I applied for renewal which was rejected after a year, I then applied for an appeal which I have been waiting for the response for a year, I do not understand the reason for not granting my visa, as I am married to a south African, I am a house wife and do not conduct any business in this country , I have all rights to live in this country as my husband is a south African, all my documents are in order, but I am now stuck in South Africa for 2 years without been able to return to my country, or visit my parents.

06/11:23 @1pm

I went to collect my passport and ID from home affairs after there was a mix up that needed to be corrected as they sent one document to George and another to plett. After going back today I was told the issue was not resolved and I was not given any assistance despite correspondence confirming it was received to plett over a month ago. This was the second time having to make the trip there and another disappointment. Staff was rude and not helpful. Refused to look at the email correspondence and allow me to speak to who sent the email!

I went to applied for a court date at the Heidelberg Home Affairs. I was informed they could not assist me as the DHA system shows I am married. I took my divorce degree and copy of my ID the same day back to home affairs. I was told to phone and check in in a months time. I phone them one and a half months later to discovery that Home Affairs head office did not receive my documentation. Again I send in the documentation and has been following up every week and still no progress has been made. I am now phoning every day and every day I am being told is been escalated as urgent but that is where it ends.

I need to court date by the 30.09.2022 as I have a reception on the 01.10.2022 with overseas people attending. If this is not resolved I wont be able to get married and all the cost of the reception will be lost. Please I need someone to urgently attend to this as its a very big problem for me.

Yesterday (14/09/2022) I took my daughter and her 1 month old baby to home affairs mitchells plain as we reside in mitchells plain. Because the baby is so small, myself and my husband went before the time (5:00 am) to stand in the que for her so long thinking that we would get a number and can just go give it to her let she go a bit later, and to our suprise they said they do not give numbers and we must just stand in the que untill it is our time. We were standing since 5:00am in the que ans around 6:00 I left my husband in the que and fetched my daughter and her baby. We where 1st in the que for bith certicates. When I got back with my daughter and her baby, the home affairs (and security) told us that there will be load shedding at 8am until 10am and they will only help the people after loadshedding. Then I asked the officials if they will help my daughter without her husband to register the child and they said no (even though we had an affidavit to say her hisband cannot get off from work and that the chils is his and that they are married. I had to leave the que (this is now again pass 8) to fetch my son in law at work in blachkeath and take him to home affairs with my daughter. Eventually they (home affairs officails) decided to start helping the people from pass 12 only. My daughter got out of that place only pass 2. They treating us like animals at mitchells plain home affairs

Hi mam/sir iam a south African born in 1985/02/04 id number [protected] my full names are itane david mashota.i lost my id a while back and I went to do a affidavit at the police station and went to home affairs in maponya mall and they told me theys a block code g on my id number and I cant proceed to get my smart id and it has really brought my life to a stand still, iam a bread winner with a 4 year old son, I cant even open a clothing store account at akamens or jet to buy my son clothes, my marriage to miss Juanita somber was not a illegal marriage as she is also south African but we have separated for more than 7 years, please unblock my id numbers so I can go get a smart id as its my democratic right and its really unfair and infringing on my human rights as a south African citizen because I cant vote meaning my rights are taken away from me.my contact details are [protected] [c] email is [protected]@gmail.com

i went to home affairs after i booked online to do a smart id and then again the issue of the block code came up.Branch Appointment Booking System Confirmation, This is the booking message they sent. iam so tired of ups and downs really i am up to my neck with your service at home affairs its like tne staff at joburg and maponya mall enjoy making people stupid and illetarate.

Dear Sir/Madam

With reference to your appointment booking for [protected] on 20 Jul 2022, submitted on the Branch Appointment Booking system.

You opted to make a booking at the branch of your choice. You are required to visit the booking branch within your booking time period or you will forfeit your priority booking and might not be serviced until you schedule another booking.

Your confirmed booking details are as follows:

Booking Reference No: YCH-0GF79-8

Branch: JOHANNESBURG

Date: 01 Aug 2022

Time: 08:00 - 09:00

When visiting the branch for your appointment you will be required to bring your ID

Should you have any queries, please call the Home Affairs Helpline on [protected] or visit our website @ www.dha.gov.za.

Sincerely

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HOME AFFAIRS

On 23june 2022,from 14h00 til 16h00 was at standing in a que and was sent out without an explanation, was simply told the til i need assistance from closed since they were unaware that people who needed birth certificates were still present outside. Yet the Department was empty and was not offered any assistance. Yesterday 22/06/2022 was told they were offline and today offered no assistance.

I and my partner had our firstborn on 26 July 2019, then on a later state we had a second-born on the 30th of March 2020, 8months apart, the child was born pre-mature and he had to stay at the hospital for 3months full. When it was time to request the child certificate, they told us the child cant be registered as we have an 8months old so it is impossible for my partner to fall pregnant. so even today our second born has no certificate they are telling us different stories, that they are waiting for the manager to attend our case. even today we had no feedback regarding our child's certificate, bad enough we cant register the child anywhere, not for the grant, school or even policies because they need the certificate for the child and we don't have. My ID no is "[protected]" Motsamai Israel Apolane, the mother's name is Olga Lungile Nkosi "[protected]". We are in Delmas Mpumalanga .

Good Day

The greeting is misleading because for us this nightmare keeps dragging as if we don’t matter can someone please find it in their heart to have empathy and assist us, please remember the is young persons future hanging in the balance here due to the department not being able to do its job, can we please get assistance?

From: [protected]@gmail.com

Sent: Tuesday, 17 May 2022 14:40

To: 'Suzan Matle' ; 'Jane Mashilo' ; 'Melita Mowayo' ; 'Nthabiseng Meyer' ; 'Smartidcard'

Cc: 'Mamokolo Sethosa' ; 'Thomas Sigama'

Subject: RE: Fwd: ID Application/Surname change nighmare! [protected]

Dear team

Can we please have an update on this matter a child life is being racked here university applications are closing yet again must someone commit suicide for the department to understand what they are doing to us, this is putting our family in a serious predicament we no longer know what to say to the child can we please have assistance please.

From: Suzan Matle

Sent: Tuesday, 10 May 2022 10:28

To: Jane Mashilo ; Melita Mowayo ; Nthabiseng Meyer ; Smartidcard

Cc: Mamokolo Sethosa ; Thomas Sigama ; [protected]@gmail.com

Subject: RE: Fwd: ID Application/Surname change nighmare! [protected]

Dear Jane and Nthabiseng

Please can you urgently assist with the SIDC.

ID TRACK AND TRACE SYSTEM TAT080

ENQUIRY ON ACTIONS PER APPLICATION TAT080M2

==============================================================================

BARCODE : [protected] ID-NUMBER: [protected]

SURNAME : MOTHAPO ESTIMATE DAYS: 0

FORENAMES : MBUSO TEE JUNIOR APPLIC: 1 OF 1

ACT DESCRIPTION DATE TIME USER

-------------------------------------------------- -------- ------ ---------

505 APPLICANT VERIFIED AT GERMISTON [protected] 093312 [protected]

630 APPL RECEIVED FOR FLIMSY ATTACHMENT [protected] 093322 [protected]

545 APPLICATION RECEIVED FOR M.F. VERIFICATION [protected] 093458 [protected]

546 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FOR MANUAL DOCUMENT VERIF [protected] 104525 [protected]

747 APPLICATION PENDED - OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING DOC [protected] 130001 [protected]

547 SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS RECEIVED [protected] 091645 [protected]

Regards

Suzan

>>> 2022/05/10 10:20 >>>

Good Day

I would like to ask for feedback on the below request as we have received no update at all?

From: Khudu Matlala

Sent: Tuesday, 03 May 2022 11:23

To: Jane Mashilo ; Mamokolo Sethosa ; Melita Mowayo ; Smartidcard ; Suzan Matle ; Thomas Sigama

Cc: Khudu Matlala ; Marilyn Ndhlovu ; [protected]@gmail.com

Subject: Re: Fwd: ID Application/Surname change nighmare! [protected]

Good Morning Smartid team

Please assist with the query below. This is change of surname. Track and trace shows that supporting documents received in your section.

IDN [protected]

Regards

Sinah

>>> Mamokolo Sethosa 2022/04/29 3:03 PM >>>

>>> 2022/04/29 02:36 PM >>>

Good Day

We spoke over the phone and you said we must call again on Tuesday, we though it would be easier to send the email due to the amount of information our case requires to be shared.

Please note that I am sending this email on behalf of the mother who’s child cannot even go to tertiary institution because they are still waiting for an id document.

In 2020 when her son was still doing grade 11, she went to Germiston home affairs to apply for the change of surname from her surname (Mothapo) to the father’s surname(Nzama-deceased) her son’s details are Mbuso TEE Junior id no: [protected], every time since then when she goes to check the status of her application they say it is not trace and track, then they will send some communication to the higher office and the response would come back saying it is trace and track, this keeps happening every time she goes there. She wanted to fix this in 2020 so that by the time the child does matric the child would be able to apply for an id, but due to whatever the problem is we are now in 2022 and the son though he passed matric is unable to access higher education because does not have an ID document.

In February this year when she went to check the status of the surname change, she was advised to rather apply for the id document, then the lady who was assisting her cancelled the surname change application, so that the id application can go through, all the documents were submitted and on the 15th of March she received a message that there are outstanding documents which she sent the supporting documents through on the 17th of March (reference: YCG-0A5C3050-6A10K3-W) however up until now there is no luck in terms of progress, the child is still stuck at home unable to access higher education and I could not even begin to explain the level of frustration.

Could the office of the minister please help us in this regard.

Her contact details are: Sibongile Veronica Mothapo [protected])

[protected]

DHA South Africa has one standard reply to queries.

They do not even read the query

What a useless department

Dear Applicant,

Thank you for contacting VFS Global DHA help desk.

You may apply for proof of permanent residence.

Kindly note that in order to apply for any visa and permits you need to follow the below steps: on www.vfsglobal.com/dha/southafrica.

1. Complete an online application form

2. Do the payment.

3. Schedule appointment

4. And click on print to download your application form, letter checklist and appointment

Kindly note that you need to visit our website on www.vfsglobal.com/dha/southafrica for Documents required for the category that you are applying for.

For further assistance kindly call our helpline on [protected].

Thank you for contacting VFS Global, have a great day further.

From :FH

Send On :13-May-2022 09:36:43

To :DHA-South Africa

Please help

I would like to transfer a permanent residence permit from an expired passport to a new one.

Which application type do I need to choose?

POP-Proof or PR ?

I used to work as a toolmaker and tool designer and now I stopped working.

Which sub type do I need to choose?

Kind regards

Franz

I have now been to the Department of Home Affairs in Pinetown 9 Times to collect my ID, that is 9 times i have taken leave to try and collect my ID since January 2022. I have been trying to collect since notification was received at end January 2022 that it was ready for collection. I received another notification at end of April 2022 that if I dont collect within a time period they ID will be destroyed. I am unable to gain access to Home Affairs Pinetown without paying a bribe, There is often only one person working there on collections and it takes her 10 to 15 mins to process one person so in the queue of 300 people we are lucky if 36 people are processed a day. That is if we are lucky, otherwise the system is down, or there is no electricity or Pinetown is "off line" . Please advise me as a matter of urgency how I am supposed to collect my ID before it is "destroyed" when I cannot even gain access to the home office pinetown building.

The DHA website is just too slow and intermittent to be safe to use.

I am working on a fibre connection which is fast for all other sites.

I tried non-stop for 5 hours, patiently waiting for every "please wait" and time -out, but without making any progress.

The next day I found a period in which I managed to complete an application.

Then I received an email which says I must take an "Application Confirmation" with a bar code to my bank appointment. Today I am searching for this application confirmation on the website - first I had to "update my details" for the one and only successful application (which did not time-out) to appear. Then I had to search for a place where this application confirmation can be. I have clicked on "adult tourist passport". It is now 3 hours since i started, but I am still staring at a circling "please wait". If I do not find this Application Certificate I will not have a barcode confirmation and all the many hours, the payment that has been made, the frustrations and triumphs when at last a website appears, will have been in vain. I will then have to go to our Home Affairs office, where people sleep overnight in order to be helped within the opening hours and where the stench of urine from inadequate toilet facilities greets you as you arrive.

On the 7th of January, 2021 I applied for Permanent Resident ID at Randburg branch in Johannesburg. Reference number: [protected].
I was told it would take 2-3 months. We're in January 2022 and it's been a year now since I applied. Still no progress. Over 12 months is way beyond the acceptable processing time for ID. It's impossible to reach Home Affairs on the phone, they stopped responding to the emails. I don't know where else to look for justice and how to get this issue resolved.

Good Day
I am Annemarie Swanepoel.
We filed an application for insertion of farthers details on birth certificate at Edenvale Home affairs 26/09/21 and the application was processed at Head Office Pretoria 01/10/21. This is supposed to take 4 - 8 weeks. It has now been 14 weeks. I phone 2x a week, hold on for hours. The staff at the call centre are very helpful, must say, but they can also just help as much as the system allows them to. For the last 6 weeks the status stays at "still at the amendment department", and then just they escalate the query again. This is all they can do. I just cannot understand why in this department there is no service, as it is not as if every person is having amendments done? We are so desperate in need of this document. I even messaged Minister Motsoaledi and he gave me contacts, which I messaged and mailed. There is just no feedback from them confirming messages and mails, or any feedback.

Very rude people, i have spent 40 minutes on hold for them to pick up and tell me to have a look at the website for everything i need and not answering my questions. Plus the lady hang up on my face. So disappointed with these kind of people that they probably hate their job and other are dying to find a job
She didn't help at all and was yelling because i asked a question. Your job is to help people to make things easy for us you gotta listen to this phone calls so you know what's happening. Disgusting

My name is Amogelang Leungo Morwe. I am from North West in Khuma Location. On the 11th of November 2020 I applied for an unabridged birth certificate in Mmabatho Home Affairs, as required by the Master of high court in Mmabatho for my late father's pension funds. In December 2020 I went to Mahikeng in Mmabatho home affairs and I was told my birth certificate was not ready. Even to this day, 12 October 2021, the 11th month since I applied for a birth certificate I am not getting any feedback on my application. Every time I call home affairs my calls are put on hold and no one gets back to me. I have been sending emails and I am told that my birth certificate is not ready. When I do get responded I would like my response to be sent to [protected]@gmail.com, because I am a student and might not get the response soon. If need be that I be contacted directly my email address is [protected]@gmail.com.

Hello my name is Bongani Elvis dladla I been trying to apply for birth certificate over ten years I didn't finish school I can't work my parents past away my grandmother refused to help me wen she was alive I didn't know what is reasonable but unfortunately she left this world like my parents now am struggling to much I just need my papers I was born here in leratong hospital n I school in North west but never finished because of this issue please someone help me out is depressing me I can't do nothing without this please help

I am trying to apply for my id card and passport. I paid the amount of R540, but the website wont give me time slot for my appointment at FNB Portside branch nor will it download my application confirmation. I have tried on numerous times to contact the call centre for some assistance, but I am merely placed on hold. Its very frustrating!

I just want some assistance.

I applied in Vredenburg, Western Cape. I was hoping by the time he does matric it would be changed already. My contact number [protected]