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Answers to your questions

Have a question you would like answered? Email us and we may answer it. The questions here are based on ones from our readers, with identifying information removed.

Please note: GroundUp is just a news agency. We are not lawyers or financial advisors, and we have nothing to do with SASSA, Home Affairs, or any other government bodies. We do our best to make the answers accurate using publicly available information, but we cannot accept any legal liability if there are errors. If you notice any discrepancies, please email [email protected].

Can my relative go back on a verbal agreement we made over a decade ago to give me his property?

When it comes to property, agreements must be in writing and signed by all parties involved.

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How can I get an ID if my birth wasn't registered and I lost my clinic card?

Make an affidavit and apply for a duplicate clinic card from the hospital where you were born.

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I was a child when my mother died three years ago. How can I get a duplicate of her ID and report her death to the Masters Office?

If you have something with her ID number on, go to Home Affairs and ask them to help you with the ID. You can report her death by lodging a completed death notice.

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What can I do if my partner who is serving a life sentence is being denied the right to request parole and the right to adequate health care?

You could lay a complaint at the Judicial Inspectorate for Correctional Services (JICS).

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Can the child of a deceased domestic worker claim money from their parent's employer if no pension was paid out?

There is no law compelling employers of domestic workers to provide a pension, but they do need to register the worker for UIF.

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I have been waiting years for Home Affairs to change my marital status. What can I do?

Home Affairs is dealing with a huge backlog of applications. You may need legal aid to compel them to process yours now.

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I don't know my birth parents and Home Affairs keeps refusing me an ID. What can I do?

Home Affairs is supposed to let your adoptive parents help you apply. They should also tell you why your applications have been denied.

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Can I be evicted from the farm I have been living on for decades?

As a person living on a farm, you may be covered by the Extension of Security of Tenure Act of 1997.

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If I don't withdraw all the money from my SASSA grant, will the remainder be lost?

No, the money will not disappear, but SASSA says you need to withdraw some of the grant money within 90 days.

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How can I apply for a disability grant if I cannot get to the SASSA office?

You can ask a family member or friend to apply on your behalf. They must take a letter from you and a doctor's note saying why you can't visit the office yourself.

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