I’m not dead

Source: Germiston City, 24/05/2017

Primrose’s Hendrick van Niekerk has been battling to prove he is not
dead for several years.
Hendrick van Niekerk has been battling for years to prove that he is
still alive.
It sounds like something out of the movies, but for Hendrick van
Niekerk of Primrose it is very much a reality.
In 2012 when Hennie as he is known went to open an account at a local
bank the teller informed him that there was something very wrong She
turned her screen so that I could see it and there in black and white
it stated I was deceased.
I asked her: ‘Do I look dead to you? said Hennie.
After some digging he discovered that 18 months after receiving his
new identity document (ID) in 2004 another man from Paarl had received
the same ID same name and same ID number. All that was different was
the photo.
I have no idea how he got my ID book Hennie now a pensioner said.
The Paarl man had died and a death certificate was issued to the ID
number which meant according to home affairs Hennie was dead.
I began writing to everyone I could think of from ministers of home
affairs to presidents including former president Nelson Mandela.
Though I did not receive a reply to all the letters assure me that he
was trying his best to help.
It seemed he was hitting as many brick walls as I was trying to sort
the problem out he said.
Hennie further claimed that no matter how many times he goes into the
home affairs offices in Benoni where he was told to go to handle the
issue no one can give him answers.
They keep telling me that they are still investigating.
But how can it take this long to investigate? he said desperately.
Though Hennie and his family try to stay positive and handle the
situation as best they can making light of the situation through jokes
it is no laughing matter.
I don not believe in being a negative person it will not do me any
good to sit at home and be depressed about the situation he said.
However despite his best efforts some situations still upset him.
One such situation came when he suddenly stopped getting his pension
from his former employer.
I worked at the company for 23 years and when I retired I began to
receive a pension.
One month however my pension was late.
I waited a few days and realized that it was not coming so I called
the woman who had always handled my pension to ask what was happening
he explained.
When he said hello there was no reply so unsure if she had heard him
or not he greeted her again.
“When she did answer she questioned why I was playing a bad joke.
“When I asked why she explained that she had received all the
paperwork claiming that I was dead and that she was currently working
out a pay-out for my family he said while fighting back tears.
He told her to stop everything and explained the situation.
Hennie deals with daily struggles related to the death notice that
hangs over his head and cannot open accounts of any kind.
And though he tries not to let these worry him he does worry about his
familys future.
what if I do die?
How will my family claim any of the pay-outs on my policy or move the
house out of my name?
“They will be left with nothing he said emotionally.
The GCN sent a query to home affairs in an attempt to get some clarity
on the situation however despite receiving confirmation that they
received the email no comment was received.
The GCN continues to seek comment on the matter.