Incompetence at Pinetown Home Affairs

I HAVE just had the unfortunate task of renewing my passport and have to say that this Home Affairs Department has no concern for all the people that spend hours queuing there every day – who I believe get there at 4am to be near the front of the queue, with no guarantee that they will be served.

My diary of using the Pinetown branch.

I tried four or five times to go there at various times of the day to see how long the queue was, and it was always up the driveway and on to the roof, even at 2.30pm and they close intake at about 3.30pm. Friends suggested I travel to an outlying office but got following reports.

Park Rynie – a friend spent six hours there and eventually was told that they were not attending to any more, she was not yet in the building, and doors were closed. Highflats – an 83-year-old friend was driven there by her daughter with same results as Park Rynie.

With this in mind I took up the offer of the parking attendant, that for R200, he would stand in the queue for me from 4am putting me first in the line. R200 compared to fuel to do minimum of two visits to any of the above sounded like financial sense, even though I wrestled with the fact that I may be paying a bribe, which I am against.

Arrived at the offices at 6.45am, roof was packed with people in the queue already, but no sign of my man. Phoned him and he was on his way, but insisted I sit in my car. I found out the reason as at 7.30am officials went around and all over 60 were moved to the front of the queue-had been caught.

Staff inside are very surly and not at all helpful. At least the one public toilet was working. Spent two hours inside, there is only one machine to take photos and fingerprints.

Two weeks later, I received a SMS notifying me that my passport was ready and one rainy afternoon went to collect – different queue for collections, not as long as new applicants.

After 30 minutes of waiting and not moving one inch, I was informed by a gentleman in the queue that you need to get two SMSs – one for passport and one for new ID.

I asked to go inside and the answer to my question, was barked back at me by the lady that I asked and so left and went home to wait for second SMS.

Received second SMS and tried again at different times on four occasions to collect, but was advised by my parking attendant friend that the wait was very long, as there were problems.

On Thursday morning, 22 March I went down and the collection queue only had about eight people in. Joined queue at about 8.30am. Eventually we were let in, after 9am.

Inside was another queue, on benches, but moved fairly fast and I managed to get out just after 10am.

While inside, I noticed that the biggest amount of people waiting, where all seats were taken, was static and just before I got to the counter it was announced that the computers were not working and that they should all go home or to the Durban office.

Going outside the queue for new applicants had not moved and these people were standing in the pouring rain. Surely the Minister of Home Affairs must see the volume that goes through their offices and realise that they should be speeding up the whole process and not letting people stand outside in hot sun or rain for hours, or are the people who pay the taxes and vote of no consequence?

In closing I then had to go to Receiver of Revenue. Straight inside and allocated number.

All positions behind counters were filled. I had a long wait, as was doing a query but numbers were dealt with quickly. The man who attended to me was friendly and helpful. What a difference.

Dissatisfied Taxpayer

Forest Hills

Ed: Letter has been shortened