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Answers to your questions

Have a question you would like answered? Email us and we may answer it. The questions here are based on ones from our readers, with identifying information removed.

Can holders of expired ZEPs withdraw their provident funds and UIF?

When the visa expires, the member can apply to withdraw their provident funds. Claiming UIF might be trickier, unless the courts find a solution.

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What happens to ZEP holders' bank loans if they are forced to leave SA?

Usually a person's debts remain active if they leave the country, but it is unclear what will happen if they are forced to leave, as with ZEP holders.

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What should I do if my child is taking drugs and getting mixed up with drug dealers?

There are different steps you can take depending on the drug(s) she uses.

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How can I access the money left by my late father at his old job if I don't have all the information and documents required?

Certify copies of his and your IDs, and make an affidavit explaining the circumstances. Take these to the HR department at his old job.

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Can I challenge my stepfather's will that excludes me from inheriting his house that originally belonged to my mother?

It's possible but very difficult. You should find out what exactly the will states and whether the house was still in your mother's name.

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Can I as a Zimbabwean travel to South Africa to give my child my surname?

Yes, your child can bear your name. You can travel to South Africa if you have a relative visa.

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Can I stop the sale of my father's house if he died before the sale was completed?

No, the deed of sale remains a binding contract

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Can my step-mother keep me from inheriting my late father's RDP house?

You cannot inherit if your father did not leave you anything in his will. Minor children can make a claim for maintenance if they were excluded from the will.

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I just found out I am not legally my late father's child. Can I inherit from his estate?

If you were legally adopted or if he named you an heir in his will, then yes. Otherwise no.

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How can I get a copy of my South African–born child's birth certificate? Neither parent is South African.

Everyone born in South Africa has the right to a birth certificate. You should be able to get a copy from Home Affairs.

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