Woman wanting to claim pension is told she is dead
“What amazes me is that with this ID I can vote, but it can not help me get my pension money,” said Ms Simelane.
Ms Asiyena Simelane (63) from eMbalenhle wants Home Affairs to rectify her identity document status.
According to government systems, she is dead.
Ms Simelane said she discovered this when she was applying for her pension at the South African Security Agency (SASSA) in Evander.
“My heart aches when I see other old aged friends queuing for their pension at banks or retailers. I even thought of killing myself because, according to our government, I’m already dead,” she said.
“I sometimes see no reason why I live because I always beg for money to my children while they also have children to take care of.
“What amazes me is that with this ID I can vote, but it cant help me get my pension money,” said Ms Simelane.
She speculated that perhaps her ID had been designed for voting purposes only and she wants another with which she can claim a pension.
Ms Simelane is, for one last time, willing to do whatever the Department of Home Affairs requires of her, but if they fail to inform all the government systems that she’s alive, it will mean that they want her dead.
Secunda Home Affairs office manager, Mr Michael Ntuli, said Ms Simelane should come with an affidavit to their offices so that they can verify her fingerprints online then they will investigate where and when the death registration occurred.
Mr Ntuli said then they will be able to take her manual fingerprints as proof that she is still alive.