Woman who gave birth twice in one year can't get birth certificate

Nompumelelo Caluza has been trying for more than five years to get a birth certificate for her six-year-old daughter at the Home Affairs Prospecton branch in Isipingo, south of Durban.

She told GroundUp that officials have refused to believe that she gave birth twice in the same year.

"On 28 January 2012, I gave birth to my first daughter. A few weeks after that I fell pregnant again. This time I was blessed with twins, whom I gave birth to on 6 October 2012," said Caluza.

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The twins, Lubanzi and Lukhona, were born prematurely and had to be placed in an incubator.

"Unfortunately, Lubanzi died, but Lukhona lived. When we were discharged from Prince Mshiyeni Hospital, I tried applying for Lukhona's birth certificate, but the Home Affairs system denied the application as it picked up that I had given birth in January the same year," said Caluza.

She said she has been in and out of the branch trying to have the application processed, but officials kept telling her that the system was rejecting her application.

"Right now, my twin daughter is supposed to be in Grade 1, but she is not because a birth certificate is required for registration. I don't know what else I should do," said Caluza.

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She has letters from the hospital confirming her admission for the birth in January and her admission for the premature birth of the twins, and she has the death certificate for Lubanzi.

Spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs in KwaZulu-Natal, Cyril Mncwabe, said Caluza's complication could be solved.

"I will contact the branch and hear what they have to say regarding the application. I will also call Caluza to get her side of the story and then I will facilitate the application process. I will make sure that she is assisted," said Mncwabe.