It should read “sorry for the inconvenience”, aptly accompanying all correspondence.
Ever noticed whenever any form of service or lack of service from local government is simply not up to scratch you will find the excuse: “Sorry for the inconvenience”.
So, if you stand in queues for three hours to renew your driver’s licence (let us be reminded it is just an eye test and paying at the cashier), there is no point in complaining, because the only excuse you will get for shoddy service is “sorry for the inconvenience”.
At least the service at our local testing station is not as shocking as in Centurion, where clients are forced to wait the entire day, even having to stand outside in the baking sun before receiving assistance.
The only joy these irate clients from Pretoria will get is “sorry for the inconvenience”.
I believe that is why the “sorry for the inconvenience” excuse is so irksome – it is fake in intent. There is no real sincerity in the excuse.
In this part of the world, if your electricity is accidentally cut-off and you have to pray a connection fee, then “sorry for the inconvenience”. Therefore, oops, but guess what, pay anyway.
If you receive poor service from the local clinic or even at a state hospital, it is the same kind of attitude – “sorry for the inconvenience”. Therefore, get used to it and shut up.
If you hit a pothole and it causes extensive damage to your wheel, well you will probably be confronted with a shrug and yes, you guessed it, “sorry for the inconvenience”.
Therefore, next time, avoid the pothole because don’t expect them to be fixed soon.
If there is a water leak and the metro takes its good old time to fix it, well “sorry for the inconvenience”. Just try to get some sleep, even though you know the world around you is turning into a swamp.
One notices this trend of making residents – the clients of local government – feel like idiots for some time now. I wonder when will the government realise “sorry for the inconvenience” is not an appropriate response or a satisfactory course of action.
It does not solve anything.
I do not want to hear “sorry for the inconvenience” for standing in queues for hours to renew my licence – just fix the mess through proper managerial action.
It should after all be quick to determine if you’re in danger of driving into a tree because of failing eyesight – not hours as you wonder when your sanity will also try to flee.
It is not good enough to be “sorry for the inconvenience” when people’s power is cut off when it is not their fault – fix the system.
And this counts for Eskom as well. It is not good enough to simply say “sorry for the inconvenience” when rolling blackouts hit the country, because there has been enough time since 1994 to rectify an ailing system.
And this attitude has washed down to the criminal world as well. If your vehicle is stolen, or your hard-earned goods carried out of your house, or another beloved citizen of this country is slain in cold blood, or we have to endure another tragic farm attack, do not think the criminals care.
Their response to the mayhem and the heartache they sow is all so familiar – “sorry for the inconvenience”. Just give me your money and your life.
Personally, I am tired of “sorry for the inconvenience”. I am tired about promises that crime will be tackled, corruption addressed and poor service delivery corrected – just do it.
Action do speak louder than words.
All that I can say is “sorry for the inconvenience” if this article has made anyone in “power” slightly uncomfortable. Deal with it.
