Blocked ID Holders Threaten to Shut Down Home Affairs in Pretoria

Frustration is reaching boiling point among South Africans whose identity documents remain blocked, with hundreds threatening to shut down the Department of Home Affairs offices in Pretoria. Many have been waiting years for their IDs to be unblocked despite a court ruling that declared the department’s actions unlawful nearly two years ago.

Long Battle For Identity And Dignity

In January 2024, the High Court ruled that the department’s practice of blocking as many as 2.5 million South African IDs was invalid, finding that it had been done without proper administrative process. The ruling was a victory for citizens who had long been left in bureaucratic limbo, unable to access basic services, open bank accounts, or even vote.

However, the relief was short-lived. By August 2025, the department admitted that 385,000 IDs were still blocked, many of them belonging to South Africans who have spent years trying to prove their citizenship.

For those affected, the situation is deeply personal. “Since 2016. It was a smart ID card,” said one Pretoria resident, recounting how years of attempts to fix their ID have led nowhere. Another explained, “I brought every document they asked for, but I still don’t have an ID.”

Life On Pause Without An ID

Living without a valid ID in South Africa is more than an inconvenience it effectively locks people out of society. Without it, citizens cannot access banking services, renew driver’s licences or passports, or register their children.

“I went to vote in the National Election last year and couldn’t. I went to the bank, and the bank doesn’t work. At the moment, I’m living without an ID,” one affected individual pleaded.

For many, this bureaucratic nightmare has stretched on for years. Some cases date back to the early 2000s, leaving entire families in distress. Parents without IDs are unable to work legally or provide documentation for their children, creating a cycle of inherited statelessness.

Court Orders Ignored

The non-profit Lawyers for Human Rights (LHR), which has represented many of the affected citizens, has repeatedly accused Home Affairs of failing to comply with the court order.

Thandeka Chauke, who leads LHR’s Statelessness Unit, confirmed that the department was given 90 days to act but has not followed through. “We have not heard anything from their legal representative, which is the state attorney, as to why the department has not complied,” she said.

The court’s order also required the department to give reasons for why IDs were invalidated a step that many South Africans say never happened. “People were not even told their IDs were blocked until they tried to use them,” Chauke explained. “You’d find out only when the bank or licensing department tells you your ID is invalid.”

Flawed Fraud Controls

Judge Elmarie van der Schyff, who presided over the January 2024 case, acknowledged that Home Affairs faces real challenges with fraudulent IDs issued to non-citizens. But she ruled that the department’s blanket blocking policy was unconstitutional and unfair.

“Blocking IDs before conducting investigations prejudiced bona fide citizens and permanent residents,” she wrote in her judgment.

LHR welcomed the ruling, calling it a critical step toward restoring dignity to those wrongfully flagged as fraud risks. “We are happy that we will see an end to this unjust practice,” said Chauke at the time.

Pretoria Protest On The Horizon

Now, nearly two years later, citizens who remain without valid identification say their patience has run out. Protesters are planning to march to the Home Affairs offices in Pretoria, demanding urgent action and accountability.

For many, it’s not just about an ID card it’s about reclaiming their place in society. After years of waiting, they want what the court already ruled they deserve: recognition, dignity, and the simple right to be seen by their own government.

{Source:My Broadband}

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