South Africa: 12-Year Birth Certificate Battle Leaves Limpopo Girl Without Child Grant

What the report says

A Health-e report published by AllAfrica describes the case of Ndanganine Mudau, a 30-year-old mother in Limpopo, who says she has spent more than 12 years trying to secure a birth certificate for her daughter, now 12. The child was born in Johannesburg in February 2014, but Mudau says repeated attempts to complete the registration through Home Affairs in Musina, near Tshikudini in Musina Local Municipality, were delayed by documentary requirements, system problems and distance.

According to the report, the missing birth certificate means the girl cannot receive a child support grant, adding strain to a household that already depends on social assistance for three of Mudau’s four children. Mudau also said the lack of formal documentation could create future problems for schooling and access to services, including at matric level, where identification is needed to obtain qualifications. The article notes that late birth registration can involve additional paperwork and screening, making the process harder for families already facing transport, communication and administrative barriers.

The story places the family’s experience in a wider South African context. The report cites the latest available Stats SA figures showing nearly 76,000 births were registered late in 2024, or almost 9% of all registrations that year. Community leaders in Tshikudini told the publication that Mudau’s case is not unique and said Home Affairs has not brought mobile services to their area. Health-e also said it had contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment but had not received a response by publication.