Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security (MHAISS) said that its ongoing programme of civil registration of San community members has reached its target of 16,000 people ahead of schedule.
The Ministry’s mobile registration outreach targeting members of the San community, which kicked off on the 23rd of June, aimed at registering at least 16,000 members of the San community by the 30th of August. That figure was surpassed well ahead of schedule, as the total number of registered people stood at 16,153 by 31 July.
“This is a milestone achievement for this targeted outreach programme aimed at providing national documents to people from marginalised communities and thereby enhancing access to social protection and other basic services,” said Executive Director Nghidinwa Daniel in a statement.
He said that the outreach programme was launched as a targeted intervention to address long-standing challenges faced by the San community, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach areas, where access to civil registration services has historically been limited.
The programme involves the issuance of birth certificates, national identity documents, duplicate documents, and other vital records necessary for full participation in socio-economic and public life.
Photos: Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security
Said Daniel: “The Ministry commends the San community for their active participation and for embracing this important initiative. The Ministry further acknowledges the collaborative efforts of local leaders, regional authorities and civil society stakeholders who played a crucial role in mobilising community members and facilitating access to registration points.
While the initial target has been achieved, all eligible San individuals who have not yet been registered are encouraged to make use of the remaining days before the official deadline of 30 August 2025. Registration teams are still stationed at key mobile outreach sites across the country and remain ready to serve.”
The Ministry is also calling on members of the public, traditional authorities, local authority leaders and community-based organisations to continue raising awareness and assisting in mobilising the San population in their respective areas.
“This is particularly important,” said Daniel, “as many individuals may still be unaware of the ongoing outreach programme due to limited access to conventional media platforms.”
According to him, the registration initiative not only supports the constitutional right to identity and citizenship but also lays the foundation for improved access to education, healthcare, and government services.
