Times Of Swaziland: 35 CHILDREN DENIED PINS, CAN’T GO TO SCHOOL

35 CHILDREN DENIED PINS, CAN’T GO TO SCHOOL
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Joseph Zulu on 26/10/2024 08:19:00


MBABANE – Without a personal identification number (PIN) issued by the
Ministry of Home Affairs, it is nearly impossible for one to  be availed
government services.
However, 35 children, despite the Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thuli Dladla
recently intervening in their situation, have been denied PINs. The children,
mainly at Vuvulane, under Mhlume Inkhundla are among many children in the
country who are not able to acquire PINs for various reasons. Recently,
following a story by the Times of Eswatini News that children at an area known
as Mgidzangcunu at Vuvulane, were not able to attend school as they did not have
PINs, the DPM, sprang into action.
With assistance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, means were made to ensure
that these children were able to acquire birth certificates, which also contain
PINs. It is through this document that as they grow older, they can use them to
acquire identity documents (ID) and passports for travel.PINs can also be used
to register for free primary education (FPE), get medical assistance and also
use government services that are available to the public. Also, other private
services such as banking require one to a have an ID which cannot be obtained
without a PIN.
Difficult
Noteworthy, many people at Vuvulane do not have PINs, including the elderly,
such that this has also made it difficult for their children or grandchildren to
acquire the same.
Mambazo Mabuza, the Bucopho of Vuvulane, under Mhlume Inkhundla revealed that
despite that the DPM had intervened when concerns were raised about children who
did not have PINs, they were not assisted. He said they were instead turned back
by the Ministry of Home Affairs officials. He said as a result, they were not
attending school.
Noteworthy, to assist children who were not attending school, government,
through various departments, constructed a school at Maphiveni near Simunye, to
assist the children at Vuvulane and surrounding areas. These are the children
who the Times of Eswatini News article reported on. It was highlighted that many
were not going to school and instead, the girls particularly were falling
pregnant. Despite the construction of the school, only a few of the pupils
enrolled and the others could not continue as they did not have PINs.
Mabuza said this is a challenge because without the PINs, it is as if the
children did not exist. He said the children are as young as six years old and
that at this age, they should have enrolled at primary school.The bucopho
further noted that the mopping exercise by the Ministry of Home Affairs, which
was meant to assist the children, did not. He said when the activity was
initiated, it was announced that for children who did not have parents, but were
born in the country, they could be assisted if the umphakatsi could confirm that
they were born in the area.
Assistance
Mabuza said despite the children having all the necessary documents, they were
turned back and that it is now difficult to get assistance for them.  He said
such children will grow up not having documents and that they will not be
employable. He said this is the reason why the community had social issues such
as unemployment and even engagement in sex work.
Further, Mabuza said officials at the births, marriages and deaths (BMD)
registration under the Ministry of Home Affairs told him that they were also
following the law and that a PIN could only be issued to a person who qualified.