Durban - Nontethelelo Ngcayichibi, of KwaDabeka, north of Durban, is a frustrated woman.
Ngcayichibi, 37, has been living without an identity document since 2018, when her house got burgled while she was at work and it was stolen.
Adding to that, the surname that she had been registered under, belonged to a woman who has since died and she has no way of proving who she is.
She went to the Pinetown Home Affairs Department in March that year, but was told that her fingerprints did not match her identity.
“I asked the official to explain why and I was told that there was a mix-up with my fingerprints which do not match. The official told me to go back to the Home Affairs department where it was issued in Stanger,” said Ngcayichibi.
She went there and was then told that her fingerprints were mixed with another person’s.
Ngcayichibi, whose original surname is Madotyeni, had left her home in the Eastern Cape where she lived with her mother Nozicibili Madotyeni and her stepfather.
“When I found out that I was pregnant at the age of 17, I decided to run away from home. I landed in Stanger where I met this woman, Ngcayichibi, who kindly took me in and helped me to get an ID,” she said.
Since then, she has been using her Ngcayichibi surname.
“After learning that my fingerprints were mixed up I tried to reach out to the family of the lady that helped me with my identity document, however I was told by her family that she had died.”
Ngcayichibi was presently living in a community hall in KwaDabeka because her house got washed away by the floods in April.
She said that it was even difficult to apply for an RDP house from the officials who had visited the community halls, adding that she was told to get her ID first.
Ngyayichibi said it was also difficult to secure a proper job since employers required documents to prove her identity.
“The last employment I had was last month (July) when I was told that I should come back with proof of my identification. I have decided to stay at home because I won’t be able to clock in nor out.”
She said not having her ID has deprived her from financially supporting her son who was in Grade 12.
“Now he has to find piece jobs to be able to buy himself textbooks that are required at school. It is not a nice feeling, as a parent as my job is to provide for him,” she added.
Despite having the desire and ability to work, Ngcayichibi also has a dream to be self-employed one day.
“Since I couldn’t go to school because of my background I would love one day to be a seamstress and have my own company but that would not be possible without an ID,” she added.
Home Affairs department spokesperson, Siya Qoza, said the department would investigate Ngcayichibi’s case.
“Ngcayichibi has been requested to visit one of our offices for assistance. She has indicated that she will be able to visit the office in Pinetown on Wednesday, August 10. The office manager has been asked to assist her,” said Qoza.
SUNDAY TRIBUNE