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AT HOME AFFAIRS: BUSINESSMAN FINDS HIMSELF DIVORCED, DEAD

29/06/2024 07:49:00 Joseph Zulu

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MBABANE – A real life case of ‘Hlala kwabafileyo’ has played out for a businessman.

‘Hlala Kwabafileyo’ was a hit Television series where a man was mistakenly declared dead. This is literally the situation for Bhekinkhosi Maseko, an auditor who discovered that he was now registered as ‘deceased’. When he checked his status, he was shocked to learn that he was classified as deceased and also that he was divorced. At the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of births, marriages and deaths, also known as BMD, is responsible for issuing birth, death and marriage certificates. With a birth certificate, one can apply for an national identity document (ID). Death certificates are issued when one shows proof that a particular individual is deceased.

When Maseko then asked for at least a divorce decree, he was told he could not be assisted because he was dead. Maseko said he was surprised that they could not produce a death certificate to at least show that he was, indeed, a dead man. Also, he said he had asked them to produce proof that he was divorced, in the form of a divorce decree, but it was also not available.

Shocked

Maseko said as a result, he was now not able to do things that he was expected to do, using his ID. He said he had gone to the department to request some documents but was shocked to learn that he had been pronounced dead yet he was alive. Further, Maseko said as a result, there were many other things he could not do, such as claiming any insurance, as he was considered deceased. He then said he was worried that he would not be able to leave the country, as he was recently supposed to travel to South Africa (SA). I was worried that I might be turned back at the border, because they would say I was a deceased person. Maseko said his situation was a serious concern and he was wondering how it happened that a person could be declared dead, even when they were still alive. “How was that done?” he asked.

Maseko, who is a businessman and an auditor said even if he wanted a new passport, he would not be able to get a new one because of the status that he was deceased. He revealed that he had reported the matter to the police fraud department after discovering that he had been declared dead. However, he said he was concerned that the matter was taking too long to be resolved and that as a result, his life was standing still.

Police

Maseko was asked if he had been to home affairs to ask for more information, but he said since he had reported the matter to the police, he had been advised that he would no longer be engaged because his case was still under investigation. Noteworthy, Maseko’s case is not unique to Eswatini, but also in the neighbouring South Africa where recently, recently, a 64-year-old man, Sisa Ntsokwana had been unable to obtain social grants for almost 18 months, as he had been mistakenly declared dead. Ntsokwana is said to have discovered he was deceased when he tried to collect his elderly grant, only to be rejected. When he approached Home Affairs, he discovered that he had been declared dead and hence could not be given his grant. It is believed that documents were submitted fraudulently using his name.

There are other similar cases – Home Affairs

MBABANE – Bhekinkhosi Maseko’s case is not a unique one, as there are other cases similar to his.
Mlandvo Dlamini, the Communications Officer at the Ministry of Home Affairs revealed this. He said there were other cases that the ministry was looking into, which were similar. He said though he could not immediately confirm Maseko’s case, he said he was aware of matters where people were declared dead, yet they were still alive. When he was asked how this was possible, Dlamini said the department responsible for this relied on family members to give information. He said if family members approached the ministry and stated that a particular person had died, the department was likely to issue a death certificate. However, this is not to suggest that Maseko’s family was responsible for going to the department and changing his status. Maseko’s matter is still under investigation to establish how he ended up dead, while he was still alive.

Relatives

Dlamini was also asked if he could state how many cases similar to this were being investigated by the ministry. However, he said at the moment, he could not tell the exact figure, but added that there were some matters being investigated. He added that there were also cases where it turned out to be individuals considered relatives, who arrived to state that a certain person had died and that they needed his death certificate. The Deputy Chief Police and Information Officer Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni confirmed that the matter was being investigated. This was after she was asked if a case relating to a man who alleged that he was declared dead by Home Affairs had been reported.

Check your ID status occasionally, public urged

MBABANE – The Ministry of Home Affairs has advised that individuals should constantly check to find out the status of their identity.
Mlandvo Dlamini, who is the Communications Officer at Home Affairs, advised that every liSwati should occasionally go to the ministry to enquire whether they were still considered alive or if they were still married. Dlamini said an individual should at least go to the department once a year to request to check their status. He said this was because certain individuals could submit information at the ministry so that they could get a person declared dead.

He said when one checked the status and discovered that they were deceased, they could then follow up and request the department to investigate the matter. This publication also gathered that individuals could sometimes claim insurance money for an individual by showing home affairs that he was deceased. Once a death certificate is issued, it can then be submitted to an insurance company and claim funds.