EDITOR – My intended quick visit to the Edenvale Licensing Department turned out to be four and a half hours spent at the Department.
I visited the Edenvale Licensing Department to renew my driving licence on November 23. I arrived at 10:20am, where I was greeted and given an electronically generated number prefixed with the letter B.
I had completed my eye test at 12:28 and was told by an unfriendly attendant to take a seat as I would be called on the same number to the cashier’s desk to pay for my renewal.
At this point I thought I would hopefully be done in an hour.
An hour and 7 minutes later at 1:35pm, I still hadn’t been helped. I then went back to the reception queue to obtain a different number as I had overheard that a new number is needed in order to pay.
When I had finally obtained a different number, I asked why I was not informed that I needed it and the attended apologised. I then requested to speak to a manager or someone in authority but I received no response. I walked around trying to find someone in authority with no luck.
At 2:45pm, I was called to the cashier’s desk and as soon as I presented my documents she said, “These numbers are all wrong” and leaves the desk to enter into a conversation with several people at the reception desk. I approached her to ask what is going on. She responded with, “We have a problem and I am trying to sort it out – you must wait!”
According to the printout of my receipt, the person’s name is Ms NJ Kutumela. At no point does she afford any courtesy to me, no communication of what is happening. After a few moments Ms Kutumela returns. As I am making a payment, another lady enters the booth who appears to have some authority. She told me there has been a problem with the numbering system and new numbers were supplied to facilitate payment when I asked for an explanation.
When I asked how the waiting customers are supposed to know this she responded, “If you have been waiting a long time you would need to tell someone and they will check for you.”
I am wondering what would it take for them to make an announcement/apology so that customers know what’s going on? Surely that’s not too much to ask for? I finally left the department at 3:50pm, using four and a half hours to receive adequate service.
LINDA CLARKE,
EDENVALE.
The NEWS requested comment from the Ekurhuleni Licensing Department by November 27. At the time of going to print, no comment was received.
