“Unjustly Denied”: 29-Year-Old South African Begs for Help After Home Affairs Refuses ID Application

• A 29-year-old man who was adopted at birth and lived in Ireland for 23 years has been fighting for months to get his South African ID
• Home Affairs officials have given conflicting information about the requirements for his situation
• South Africans are questioning the process, while his biological mother confirms the family's ongoing struggle

A 29-year-old South African man has turned to social media for help after months of being denied his first-time ID card by the Department of Home Affairs. The man, who was adopted at birth and lived in Ireland for 23 years, shared his frustrating experience in a video posted on 14th July from Johannesburg, where he's been trying to obtain proper documentation since returning to South Africa.

The man explained that he was adopted shortly after birth when his young mother couldn't care for him. His adoptive parents, both South Africans, moved to Ireland in 2001 when he was four years old, where he spent the next 23 years and became a dual citizen through naturalisation. After years of searching, he finally found his biological mother in 2022 and decided to move back to South Africa in 2024 to be with his biological family.

In the emotional video, the man detailed his experience with the Department of Home Affairs, explaining how he had researched the process beforehand and believed no adult presence was required for first-time ID applications after age 18. However, when he applied in January 2025, officials declined his application, saying they needed his adoptive father present.

"I was born in South Africa and was adopted at birth. Unfortunately, my mother had to give me up for adoption because she was too young to take care of me," he explained in the video.

After months of back-and-forth with Home Affairs, he was finally able to apply in April 2025 and was told he would receive his ID within two weeks.

After six weeks of waiting, the man was shocked to learn his ID application had been cancelled. When he returned to the Soweto branch, officials told him he needed proof of emancipation to proceed. However, after seeking free legal advice from human rights organisations, he was told this wasn't necessary.

The man revealed he has tried contacting Minister Leon Schreiber, his personal assistant, and media liaison officers, but has only received automated responses. His inability to get an ID has prevented him from accepting multiple job offers, putting financial strain on his single mother, who is supporting two children along with him.

South Africans react to man's struggles

The video sparked intense discussion among South Africans, with many questioning various aspects of his story and the Home Affairs process.

@BevMadzena, who identified herself as his biological mother, confirmed:

"I am Alex's biological mother. And he is right, we have been going up and down with home affairs."

@NicoletteMphanya asked:

"How did you travel abroad without identification & back into the country?"

@Lulabele questioned:

"He left SA at 4 years for Ireland, but doesn't have an accent? He would've been issued an ID number when receiving a South African passport. How was he a dual citizen without a South African ID?"

@Pontsho pointed out:

"Every child in South Africa is issued an ID at birth 😭😭😭"

@AIT commented:

"So his birth mother is South African, and both your adopted parents are South African. Why are they not giving you your ID. That's dodge."

@jewelofthesouth888 defended him:

"Guys, he does have an Irish accent. There are multiple accents in Ireland, just like there's multiple SA accents. My accent and Tyla's aren't the same. Vukani please."

Home Affairs online verification portal

According to the Department of Home Affairs, Minister Schreiber recently welcomed a Constitutional Court ruling about citizenship rights and announced plans to develop an online verification portal for affected individuals.

The department is working to build a dedicated online portal where people who believe they were adversely affected by unconstitutional provisions can lodge cases to confirm their citizenship reinstatement.

Watch the TikTok clip here.

Other similar stories

• Briefly News recently reported on an American woman who shared a welcoming message for 49 Afrikaners departing South Africa as refugees, expressing excitement about receiving them and comparing their journey to historical migrations.
• The South African Human Rights Commission defended foreign nationals' rights to free healthcare, sparking fury among South Africans who questioned the strain on the public healthcare system.
• Congolese-born Springboks flanker Vincent Tshituka's citizenship announcement divided South Africans, with some questioning whether his rugby career expedited the process.

Source: Briefly News