The right of children born to undocumented migrants to have their best interests given paramount importance: Reimagining the South African birth registration process

This article analyses the birth registration process of children born in South Africa to undocumented migrants. Birth registration is an important stepping-stone to acquiring nationality in terms of South African law. Children born to undocumented migrants face a greater risk of statelessness. Given the detrimental consequences of statelessness, the article explores the relationship between the best interests of the child principle (found in international law and the South African Constitution) and the domestic birth registration process for children born to undocumented migrants. In terms of international law, all children have a right to be registered at birth. The findings show that despite this obligation, the birth registration process imposes an onerous set of requirements on undocumented migrants. By using the best interests of the child principle as a substantive right, a procedural right and an interpretative principle, the article shows that the current birth registration process places an inordinate reliance on documentary evidence, which can frustrate the registration of the child’s birth. The article concludes with recommendations which reimagine a birth registration process for children born to undocumented migrants. siSwati: Le-athikili ihlatiya inchubo yekubhaliswa kwekutalwa kwebantfwana labatalelwe eNingizimu Afrika batalwa bantfu labachamuka kulamanye emave labangenato tincwadzi tekutalwa. Kubhaliswa kwekutalwa kusinyatselo lesibalulekile sekutfola buve ngekwemtsetfo waseNingizimu Afrika. Bantfwana labatalwa bantfu labachamuka kulamanye emave babhekene nengoti lenkhulu yekungayindzawo nemphilo. Uma kubukwa imiphumela lelimatako yekungayindzawo nemphilo, le-athikili ihlola kuhlobana lokukhona phakatsi kwenzuzo lencono kakhulu yemgomosisekelo wemntfwana (lotfolakala kumtsetfo wemave kanye nakuMtsetfosisekelo waseNingizimu Afrika) kanye nenchubo yekubhaliswa kwekutalwa kwasekhaya kwebantfwana labatalwa bantfu labachamuka kulamanye emave labangenato tincwadzi tekutalwa. Ngekwemtsetfo wemave, bonkhe bantfwana banelilungelo lekubhaliswa mhla batalwa. Lokutfolakele kukhombisa kutsi nangetulu kwalesibopho, inchubo yekubhaliswa kwekutalwa ibeka luhla lolumatima lwetidzingo kubantfu labachamuka kulamanye emave labangenato tincwadzi tekutalwa. Ngekusebentisa kuzuza lokuhle kwemgomosisekelo njengelilungelo lemuntfu ngekwemtsetfo, lilungelo lenchubo kanye nemgosisekelo wekuhumusha, le-athikili ikhombisa kutsi inchubo lekhona yekubhalisa kutalwa incike kakhulu tikwebufakazi lobubhaliwe, lokungaphazamisa kubhaliswa kwekutalwa kwemntfwana. Le-athikili iphetsa ngetincomo leticabanga kabusha ngenchubo yekubhaliswa kwebantfwana labatalwa bantfu labachamuka kulamanye emave labangenato tincwadzi tekutalwa.