A South African man mistakenly listed as dead by authorities has spent four years fighting to prove he is alive so he can get a passport, register a car and change his wife's marital status from "widowed". Claude Pretorius has been working to correct the bureaucratic error since 2006, when he discovered, while applying for a passport, that the Department of Home Affairs had listed him as dead.
"They told me that I could not apply for a passport as I am deceased," the Johannesburg man said. Mr Pretorius said he got a sworn affidavit from police affirming that he is alive and was issued a new identity number, enabling him to buy a car.
But the problem resurfaced last year when he tried to register the car with the traffic department. "I found out that my status has again been changed to deceased," he said. Three weeks ago, Mr Pretorius was given a ticket for failing to licence the vehicle.
"How is it possible for me to purchase cars, but the minute I need to obtain any form of licencing, I am declared deceased?" he complained. His wife has been unable to give legal help - since she is officially listed as his widow.
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