08 Aug 2019

The Department of Civil and National Registration district registrar in Masunga, Ms Jane Taolo-Makwati has cautioned people who submit wrong information to government officials for Omang applications.

In an interview, Ms Taolo-Makwati stated that there were cases where during application for Omang applicants submitted false information to officers in order to be issued identity cards.

However, she said her office thoroughly investigated any case where they suspected irregularities with the help of other departments such as the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

She warned that a false declaration to a government official was an offence which carried a penalty.

The officer said the department also worked with Dikgosi s whenever they investigate issues of citizenship, adding that Dikgosi were well informed and aware of all family setups in their respective villages.

Ms Taolo-Makwati said it was imperative to submit the correct information under all circumstances because this would assist the office to issue Omang on time.

She noted that it was common in North East District for legal or illegal immigrants to stay longer in Botswana which at times results in establishing families.

The official stated that a common challenge faced by her office was the issue of renunciation where a person born to a Motswana and a foreigner parents has to decide which nationality to relinquish before turning 21. She stated that in many instances children applying for Omang go through a tough time because their foreign parent would provide a different name on a child’s birth certificate from one they used in their country.

She further encouraged those whose parents are a Motswana and a foreigner to undertake the renunciation process before turning 21 years because this would help eliminate complications when they apply for citizenship.

On other issues the registrar highlighted that her office had embarked on an exercise to deliver Omang cards in villages as a way to curb piling up of cards in the offices.
She stated that whenever Omang cards are ready for collection they publicize names of applicants at public places like shopping malls, Kgotla and clinics so that the owners would collect their cards.

Ms Taolo-Makwati said application process for Omang only takes up to five days to be complete , adding that whenever the cards are ready the send a notification to a customer.

She highlighted that her office had come up with strategies to improve service delivery by visiting bed ridden and the elderly in their homes for Omang applications.

However, she highlighted that they still experience challenges with new applicants, who turn 16 as some parents delay to register their children for Omang.

Some Batswana do not regularly check their Omang cards’ expiry dates.

She noted that it was important for one to know their Omang expiry date so that they could renew it on time as the law allows for one renew even three months before it expires. ENDS