Dear Hon. Minister,

I hope this message finds you well.

My name is Ricardo Marques, a South African permanent resident since 2004, and I am writing to humbly request your support in finalising my long-awaited application for South African citizenship.

I arrived in South Africa from Venezuela in 2002 at the age of five and have lived here ever since. I completed all my schooling locally, hold a master's degree, and am currently pursuing my PhD in Mathematical Statistics at the University of Pretoria. I am married to a South African citizen, own property in Gauteng, and have been employed by a South African consulting firm since 2022.

I began the process of applying for citizenship in 2019 via VFS. In 2023, I obtained proof of permanent residence and subsequently submitted my citizenship application at the Randburg Home Affairs office. In September 2024, I was informed that my application had been approved, pending attendance at a citizenship induction ceremony.

Unfortunately, no induction ceremonies have been held at the Randburg office since March 2023, and I have received no further communication despite multiple in-person follow-ups. As a result, I remain ineligible to vote or obtain a South African passport.

I am committed to contributing to the country I call home and would be deeply grateful for any support or guidance your office can provide to help bring this matter to a close. Please do let me know if any further information is required.

Kind regards,
Ricardo Marques