Johannesburg – While most of the country gets ready to cast their vote in the municipal elections on Wednesday, one man will only be able to watch from a distance.
In June, The Star reported that Joseph Khoza’s ID has been blocked on and off since 1988 because of a Department of Home Affairs mix-up, which repeatedly alleges that he is an illegal immigrant from Mozambique.
But Khoza is South African, born in this country to a South African mother and a Mozambican father.
Department spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete had said Khoza’s details had to be corroborated against the Home Affairs National Identification System (Hanis) to verify his identity. He had added that the confusion had been cleared up and that he should apply again.
But, two months later, the irate Kempton Park man is no closer to getting his ID.
“I am disappointed with Mr Tshwete. He said I need to apply for a smart card and it will be issued in two weeks. I did apply, on June 3, and it was declined,” Khoza said.
“I went for a second time on July 4 and was advised to apply for a green ID book.”
When approached for comment on Khoza’s latest stumbling block, Tshwete indicated that the “illegal immigrant” block marker was permanently lifted on June 1.
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No ID card – and no vote – for irate SA man
Johannesburg – While most of the country gets ready to cast their vote in the municipal elections on Wednesday, one man will only be able to watch from a distance.
In June, The Star reported that Joseph Khoza’s ID has been blocked on and off since 1988 because of a Department of Home Affairs mix-up, which repeatedly alleges that he is an illegal immigrant from Mozambique.
But Khoza is South African, born in this country to a South African mother and a Mozambican father.
Department spokesman Mayihlome Tshwete had said Khoza’s details had to be corroborated against the Home Affairs National Identification System (Hanis) to verify his identity. He had added that the confusion had been cleared up and that he should apply again.
But, two months later, the irate Kempton Park man is no closer to getting his ID.
“I went for a second time on July 4 and was advised to apply for a green ID book.”
When approached for comment on Khoza’s latest stumbling block, Tshwete indicated that the “illegal immigrant” block marker was permanently lifted on June 1.
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‘Dead’ voter must approach Home Affairs – IEC
Durban – The 75-year-old voter who was turned away from the voting station at George Campbell Technical School in Durban on Wednesday morning after the system reflected that he was deceased, must urgently approach the Department of Home Affairs, the IEC said.
“It is the Department of Home Affairs that is custodian of [the] population register. [The] Electoral Commission checks voters against the population register,” IEC deputy CEO Dr Nomsa Masuku said.
Friedrich Roggenkamp had registered to vote on the last registration weekend at the same station and has voted several times.
“I can’t vote because I’m dead… they think I’m dead,” he told News24 earlier.
“I have always voted, look at all my stickers,” he said, pointing to other registration marks in his ID book.
Roggenkamp said that, come the next elections, he would probably not vote and intended returning to his home country of Germany, after living in South Africa for almost 30 years.
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Jobless Zim graduates rise up against Mugabe
Harare – Protests against President Robert Mugabe’s policies are on the rise in Zimbabwe, with shops and other businesses being forced to close down on Wednesday after police battles against demonstrators seeking to petition parliament and treasury against the currency and loss of jobs.
The protest action on Wednesday was the latest to disrupt economic activity and business operations after mass stay aways in June forced companies to close down.
On Wednesday, the #tajamuka pressure group and #thisgown grouping of unemployed graduates protested around Harare’s business district. But the peaceful nature of the protests was short-lived after police broke up the marchers as they approached parliament, firing teargas and beating up everyone around.
“Things are now out of hand and we have had to close down; looting could start and our equipment and property can get damaged,” said a waitress at a restaurant in central Harare.
Other businesses that had to close down include petrol filling stations such as Puma and Total Zimbabwe. The protestors grabbed chairs and empty crates as well as debris such as stones and bricks and hit back at the police.
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UK to stop funding Malawian charity amid ‘cult’ links
The UK government is to stop giving money to a charity in Malawi following a BBC investigation which found it was under the control of a cult-like group.
Dapp, which runs education and health projects in the African country, has received millions of pounds in the last decade from the UK, EU and Unicef.
It is connected to the Teachers Group, whose leaders are wanted by Interpol over fraud allegations.
British officials have suspended funding and launched an investigation.
The move follows an investigation by the BBC and its US partners into Dapp Malawi, the Malawian branch of charity Development Aid from People to People.
Dapp is one of the major NGOs active in Malawi, providing a range of aid projects from farming to health and education.
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