Two siblings from Lehurutshe village of Gopane near Zeerust in the North West, whose identities can’t be disclosed because of their age, are struggling to get birth certificates. Their guardian has pleaded for government’s intervention to help them get birth certificates.
She says the lack of birth certificates has made it difficult for them to access certain essential services, like getting vaccinated. She also fears they may face challenges in future, including getting ID documents.
The two siblings are aged 11 and 15. They currently live with a guardian, who is also their local primary school teacher. Their father with whom they lived, died in 2019. They left their parents’ home after alleged ill-treatment from relatives. They have been living with their guardian since the passing of their father.
According to their guardian, their mother is a Lesotho national, who left home before the passing of their father, and her whereabouts, are currently unknown.
Lack of identification, including a birth certificate, has already prevented the eldest of the two, the 15-year old, from getting vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Last year, she could not proceed to the next stage of her school’s athletics competition because she does not have an ID document.
“I want Mme Dineo to come and help us with the certificates because the last time I was participating in athletics and I became number one, so I could not proceed to the next stage because I do not have a birth certificate to proceed.”
Their guardian is pleading for government’s intervention to get the young girls their birth certificates.
Guardian Matlakala Mogami says, “The government must make it easy for people like myself as guardians of these children. They must make it easy for us when we request them to help us with the identification of these children.”
The two young girls, who have both passed to their next grades, are hopeful that they will get assistance to obtain their birth certificates.
