Sex change woman in court for new ID

2012-05-08 12:42

Johannesburg - A woman who used to be a man obtained a court order against home affairs on Monday because, according to her ID book, she is still man, Beeld reported.

Jacqui Louw, 41, of Durbanville, Cape Town, stated in court papers submitted to the North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria that due to the disparity between her appearance and the information in her ID book, she had lost her job.

Louw said she was supposed to travel to the USA in February 2011 for an operation on her vocal cords, but had to cancel the trip because she was unable to apply for a passport as a woman.

Judge Aubrey Ledwaba ordered the home affairs director general to consider within 30 days Louw's request to have her identity documents altered to reflect her new sex, and to inform Louw of his decision.

Louw said she had undergone the necessary surgical procedures to alter her sex, and was still undergoing oestrogen therapy.

She originally applied at home affairs' Belville office on June 26, 2010 to have her ID book and birth certificate altered, but after 18 months she had received no response.

- SAPA