December 3:
I filled in a renewal form and was sent to room 115 for the eye test, as I’m a pensioner and can’t stand for very long.
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They did see to me immediately and I handed the woman in charge of the desk all the necessary documents that I had in a folder.
She started off by sticking one of the eight photographs (which were in a wallet from Kodak) to the green form with sticky tape.
Then we did the eye test.
She wasn’t entirely satisfied with the results and said I would have to get an optician’s certificate, which I did in the afternoon.
In the meantime, she kept the whole wad of documents I had given her, including the wallet that contained the remaining seven photographs to the left of her desk.
December 4:
I went back to room 115 to present my certificate.
This time it was a man who saw to me.
Once he was satisfied with the paperwork, it was handed back to me so that I could proceed to pay for the licence at room 120.
When I noticed that the photographs were missing (I now needed the remaining lot for a temporary driver’s licence) the gentleman looked in the pile of documents on the left hand side of the desk where the woman had sat the day before, but could not find the photos.
He called for her and she took some time to deal with me, going next door for about five minutes.
When she reappeared, she had still not acknowledged my presence – and eventually when I asked her where my photographs were, she said she would attend to me just now.
She proceeded to deal with another customer, doing his paperwork and eye test and then came to me and said: “I only used one of the eight photographs. I gave the rest back to you. Look in your bag.”
I had already looked in my bag, my purse, my folder and they weren’t there of course, because I distinctly remember leaving them with her.
So it has now become a matter of her word against mine.
I would like this matter to be reported to her superior, but can’t find any contact details on Google.
Editor’s note:
Themba Gadebe, Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality spokesperson, replies.
“The City of Ekurhuleni is investigating this matter.
“We request the woman to contact us, so that we can get more information from her.
“It’s also imperative to note that without the client’s ID number or particulars, it’s difficult for us to retrieve her information or records for further assistance.
“As the City we request the client or the writer of this letter, to contact us on the following telephone number: 011 999 6427, or to email vincentd@ekurhuleni.gov.za so that we can speedily resolve this matter.”
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