The Department of Home Affairs is urging individuals with blocked identity documents to come forward before a July deadline and regularise their status.
The Department of Home Affairs has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at assisting individuals whose identity documents were blocked before November 2022 while protecting the integrity of South Africa’s National Population Register.
In line with the Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA), affected individuals are being given an opportunity to submit representations explaining why their identity numbers should be unblocked.
The Department has called on all affected persons to visit a Home Affairs office in person before 10 July 2026 to present their case and provide supporting documentation.
According to Home Affairs, more than 2.2 million identity numbers have already been unblocked as part of the ongoing verification process.
Many of the blocked identity numbers relate to duplicate records or cases where an individual’s citizenship, identity or legal status requires further verification.
Individuals are required to appear at a Home Affairs office, excluding refugee reception centres and bank branches, to provide both written and oral representations.
Supporting documents may include original birth certificates, clinic cards, proof of birth, parents’ identity documents, school records, traditional authority letters, affidavits or any other documentation that may assist in confirming identity or citizenship status.
The Department warned that failure to respond before the deadline could result in the cancellation of affected identity numbers once the administrative process has been completed.
Home Affairs said identity records may be cancelled where investigations reveal that documents were issued to individuals who do not qualify for inclusion in the National Population Register, contain incorrect information, were obtained fraudulently, or have been forged, altered or unlawfully manipulated.
The campaign forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the integrity and accuracy of South Africa’s population records while ensuring that affected individuals are given a fair opportunity to present their case.
The Department has urged all affected persons to act promptly and make use of the opportunity to regularise their status before the deadline expires.
