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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.

Are no-fee schools allowed to charge extra costs?

"Voluntary donations" at no-fee schools are encouraged but not compulsory.

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Does SASSA register policies for disability grant recipients?

No, SASSA does not register policies for disability grant recipients.

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How can a foreign father add his name to his children's birth certificates?

Home Affairs should help you, but you will have to give a "good and sufficient reason"

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Can you get a spousal visa if you have not lived together?

Yes because you do not have to live together. There is no minimum period of marriage either.

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Will a letter of authority compel the deceased's company to pay out her provident monies?

No, you need to discuss the issue with the provident fund itself.

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Must the deceased's wives inherit the estate in equal shares if the first marriage is under civil law and the other is customary?

Not unless he wrote a will. You cannot remarry if you are still in a civil law marriage.

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How can I get on the waiting list for gender reassignment surgery?

You would start by getting a referral from a doctor to the Transgender Clinic at Groote Schuur.

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How can I report corrupt driving instructors?

You can contact Corruption Watch, SAIDI or the government's anti-corruption hotline.

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Can I get a spousal visa for my partner if we are not married?

No, you need to apply for a life partner visa.

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Will my child have all the benefits of being South African if I give them my foreign partner's surname?

Yes, they should if at least one parent is a South African citizen.

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