Home Affairs says I am married to an Egyptian I have never met | Sunday Independent

Johannesburg - Elize Marcha O’Brien, 47, cannot hold back her tears as she recounts how a complete stranger - Khaled Elshahhat Aly - ruined her life. The mother of four has never set eyes nor spoken to the Egyptian, yet official records reflect that the two tied the knot in February 2006 - and their lives have since been intertwined.

“We should have been married a long time ago had it not been for this fraudulent marriage I found myself in. It has messed up my life. I worry about what would happen to my children and my boyfriend if I were to die. It means my body will be locked in a mortuary until they find this Khaled person,” declares O’Brien, amid sobs.

“I suspect this happened after I lost my ID in 2006. Every time I go to Home Affairs to find out how far they are with resolving this matter, I’m told it is still being investigated,” says O’Brian. O’Brien is one of thousands of South African women who are fraudulently married to foreigners seeking citizenship in this country. On average, Home Affairs is notified of at least 2000 each year.Recently, Wits University’s Law Clinic - which represents O’Brien and other victims of fraudulent marriages - announced its intention to bring a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Home Affairs for its apathy in addressing the matter.

Thami Swartbooi is one of the lucky women to have been “freed” from the strain caused by fraudulent marriages, following an intervention by Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi that ended her 12-year-long anguish and stand-off with the department’s officials.“I have two children and my second child was never registered. The state doesn’t know he exists. However, Home Affairs records say I have two other children - children I’ve never met,” said Swartbooi.

Home affairs is a mess....

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