Sixteen-year-old Daniela Rodriguez, born in Cape Town to Cuban parents, cannot complete grade 12 next year due to her lack of legal status in SA.

City Press reports that the teenager who is enrolled at Cannon Creek Independent School in Pinelands, has been denied both SA and Cuban citizenship, rendering her stateless.

When her parents return to Cuba, she will have to remain in the country as an illegal immigrant because she cannot travel without citizenship.

This is despite a Western Cape High Court ruling in 2014 that she is a SA citizen by birth under the Citizenship Act and ordered the Department of Home Affairs to add her to the national population register, issue her with a SA ID number, and re-issue her birth certificate to reflect her status.

That ruling was confirmed in 2016 by the SCA, which gave the department until 6 November 2016 to comply.

Her parents emigrated to SA in 2008 and in terms of Cuban law, they are considered permanent emigrants as they have been living and working outside of Cuba for more than 24 months.

City Press reports that Rodriguez’ legal representative, Liesl Muller, a senior attorney at the Centre for Child Law, has now issued an urgent letter of demand to Home Affairs Minister Leon Schreiber.

He has been warned to comply with the court order by 5pm tomorrow or the matter will be taken back to the High Court on an urgent basis for contempt of court.

Full News24 report