What this means in simple terms If a foreign couple has a baby in South Africa, the baby’s birth must be registered even if the parents are undocumented or overstayed their visas. The child must be issued a birth certificate recording the facts of their birth that can lately be used to register their children in their countries. What it does not mean: -It does not make the child a South African citizen. -It does not give the parents legal status or permanent residence. -It does not stop Home Affairs from deporting parents who are in the country unlawfully. The judge specifically emphasized that birth registration does not automatically confer South African citizenship.