'Being a girl is ruining my life' says boy

21-year-old Promise Simango from Islington near Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga is desperate because his birth certificate says is a girl.

At first, he couldn't play for his school's soccer team and now his tertiary studies may be coming to an end because the university also registered him as a woman.
 
Promise said the mistake was discovered seven years ago when his soccer team requested his birth certificate for their records before they were to play at a school tournament.
 
"My parents did not know Home Affairs issued me with a birth certificate that identified me as a girl," he said. "I ended up not taking part in the tournament."
 
Promise took the certificate to Home Affairs and officials advised him to visit a doctor, who would confirm that he indeed was a man.
 
At the time he was also sitting for his final matric exams.
 
"I had to strip so the doctor could see my 4-5," he said. "After the examination I was given a letter of confirmation to pass on to the Mhala Home Affairs officials. Along with the letter was a letter from my school and copies of my parent's IDs."
 
Promise was promised that the ID would return with the correct gender. But it came back with the same old mistake.
 
"I had to register at university as a girl," he said. "I can't even open a bank account because banks think I am a fraudster."
 
Mhala Home Affairs manager Mubeki Khoza said they will investigate and help Promise as soon as possible.