South Africa: Teen Can't Get Smart ID Because System Won't Accept Click Sounds in His Name

30 January 2026
Scrolla (Johannesburg)
By Rorisang Modiba
  • Lesle Jansen says her son !Khūboab Lawrence cannot get a smart ID because the system does not process the special characters in his name.
  • The characters are click sounds used in Khoekhoegowab, the Nama people's language, and are an important part of Lawrence's name.

A Cape Town mother says her son cannot get a smart ID card because the Department of Home Affairs system does not recognise special characters in indigenous names.

Lesle Jansen says her son !Khūboab Oedasoua Lawrence was told the system cannot process his name. Home Affairs said the system cannot capture the exclamation marks and diacritics he uses.

The special characters are used in Lawrence's name. In Khoekhoegowab, the language of the Nama people, the exclamation marks and diacritics represent click sounds. They are an important part of the name.

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Jansen says Home Affairs told her the system does not have the technical ability to include these characters.

She questioned how this could still be a problem in 2026.

Because he does not have an ID, Lawrence has faced challenges as a young adult.

But with help from his school and an affidavit, he was able to write his matric exams. He was later able to open a bank account.

Home Affairs responded by saying it has taken steps to recognise indigenous names. The department said the National Population Register can record clicks and diacritics.

But the department admitted that these characters cannot yet be fully transferred to smart ID cards. They do appear correctly in the green ID book.

For now, the department has advised Lawrence to apply for a green ID book while system upgrades are being made.

Read the original article on Scrolla.

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