mojo
03-26-2002, 05:46 AM
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_552705.html?menu=news.quirkies
Government tells woman she's officially a dead man
A South African government department has told a woman she's officially a dead man.
Officials at the home affairs department have told Patience Mollo to get a letter from a doctor confirming she's female.
The mistake came to light when the 26-year-old who works as an import clerk in Johannesburg tried to set up a bank account.
The Independent Online quotes Ms Mollo as saying: "It's like my life has been a lie all along."
When she tried to open the account, the bank computer rejected her official identity number. That was when she discovered she was officially dead, and male.
"It is upsetting and embarrassing, especially since the home affairs officials made me feel like it was my fault. How could I have known that I was registered as a man? Now, using my transport money for the month, I have to go through the process of proving I am a woman."
Ms Mollo, a resident of Thembisa on the East Rand, says she's used her identity number without any problem since 1994.
Home affairs spokesman Leslie Mashokwe said: "If it was a mistake from our side, we would be very happy to correct it," he said.
got|reincarnation?
Government tells woman she's officially a dead man
A South African government department has told a woman she's officially a dead man.
Officials at the home affairs department have told Patience Mollo to get a letter from a doctor confirming she's female.
The mistake came to light when the 26-year-old who works as an import clerk in Johannesburg tried to set up a bank account.
The Independent Online quotes Ms Mollo as saying: "It's like my life has been a lie all along."
When she tried to open the account, the bank computer rejected her official identity number. That was when she discovered she was officially dead, and male.
"It is upsetting and embarrassing, especially since the home affairs officials made me feel like it was my fault. How could I have known that I was registered as a man? Now, using my transport money for the month, I have to go through the process of proving I am a woman."
Ms Mollo, a resident of Thembisa on the East Rand, says she's used her identity number without any problem since 1994.
Home affairs spokesman Leslie Mashokwe said: "If it was a mistake from our side, we would be very happy to correct it," he said.
got|reincarnation?