Deputy Minister Chohan to interact with youth in the Roodepoort Community

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Fatima Chohan will today Monday, 28 March 2011 address youth in Roodepoort community on “The importance of acquiring an ID and the role of Film and Publications Board: its importance to the community.” The meeting scheduled for 11h00 will take place at the Davidsonville Community Hall in Roodepoort, Gauteng.

This outreach programme comes within the context of the National Population Register Campaign which was launched a year ago in the Eastern Cape by President Jacob Zuma and Minister Dlamini Zuma. One of the objectives of the campaign is to encourage young people, particularly those who have turned 16 years of age, to apply for IDs to enable them to access services provided by government. Since IDs cannot be issued without birth certificates, participants in the event will also be advised on the processes to be followed that would enable them to acquire these enabling documents.

The campaign also aims to ensure the integrity and security of the NPR through a single point of entry, at birth. Parents are therefore also encouraged to register their babies within 30 days of birth. Since the launch of the campaign significant progress has been made in this regard. Of a total of 899 618 births registered from April - January 2010/11, 793 567 were registered within a year, which accounts for 88%. This is exceeds the department’s target of 70%. The registration of birth within 30 days remains at 52% out of 793 567 (412 655) registered within a year.

With a view to assisting parents register their babies within 30 days, the department has increased its footprint in terms of the number of hospitals and health facilities linked to the department’s database. There are now 330 hospitals and healthcare facilities linked to our database around the country. Where possible, parents receive birth certificates even before they leave hospital with their new babies.

The presence of stakeholder fora in the community’s has played an invaluable role in assisting the department to achieve the objectives of the NPR. In this regard, the total number of fora established and launched throughout the country has increased to two hundred and fifty four (254), out of a total of two hundred and eighty two (282) municipalities including targeted metros. This accounts for 90% prevalence.

With a view to ensuring the department delivers on its mandate to provide services to all South Africans, the department’s mobile offices as well as officials stationed at the Davidson Stadium, will be available to assist members of the community.

Youth at the event will also be appraised of the importance of the Film and Publications Board, especially as it pertains to protecting them from exposure to explicit material contained in popular media, including films.

Media are invited to cover the event as follows:

Enquiries:
Ronnie Mamoepa
Cell: 082 990 4853