The Department of Home Affairs has announced that along with several other changes to services it provides the registration of births will no longer occur at Home Affairs offices.
Instead, births are to be "registered at the health facilities where they occur. These are the 156 health facilities with Home Affairs office presence," Minister Aaron Motsoaledi noted in a statement.
Highlighting the alarming number of Covid-19 infections occurring at the department's more than 400 offices across the country, as well as the difficulty in enforcing Covid-19 protocols in large crowds, the Minister said the decision had been "forced by circumstances".
The services the minister confirmed as suspended pending further notice include applications for IDs, passports and marriage certificates.
For a list of health facilities new parents will be able to consult for birth registration visit: Dha.gov.za