People spend hours in line at Home Affairs
For many years residents have been complaining about the bad service at the Department of Home Affairs’ office in Tzaneen.
A letter received by the Herald from a resident who wants to remain anonymous stated that she recently went to the Home Affairs office at 06:30 and had to wait for hours before she could get any help. “I am writing this to you today as I stand in the filth and in the blazing sun outside the Tzaneen Home Affairs waiting to collect my passport and identity document (ID).
“I arrived at 06:30 and over seven hours later, I am still standing here. How can a government department treat their fellow South Africans in such a poor manner? “The elderly and babies are literally sleeping on the pavement and alleyway as they can no longer stand in the queue,” she said.
“It is absolutely disgusting that the government cannot provide facilities to accommodate people in a dignified and healthy environment.” She said that when she applied for her documents, she had to stand in the rain for hours. “This facility no can longer cope with the number of people in the Greater Tzaneen municipal area and something must be done about this urgently! It is unbelievable and completely unacceptable. You need to do better!” she said.
The Herald visited the office on Friday, February 25. People in the queue said that they started queuing from 03:00 in the hope of being the first to get assisted when the office opens at 08:00, but regardless of how early they arrived, they had to queue for long hours before being assisted.
Also read: Tzaneen: Home Affairs horrors far from over
“I always arrive very early with the hope that I can be in the first group of people to be assisted because I know how slow they are,” said Ngaletsane Malabela, a disgruntled resident. She said that you cannot really complain because if you do, you get chased out and not receive any assistance. S
he said Friday was her second day of queueing as she had to return after she was not assisted on the previous day, Thursday, February 24. She added that in order to arrive early enough, she has to hire a car since public transport only starts at 06:00 which costs an additional sum of money which she cannot afford.
The Herald contacted the spokesperson for the department for comment a few weeks ago for comment on the allegations. We were then referred to the office manager of the Home Affairs office in Tzaneen, but our numerous inquiries went unanswered. An employee at Home Affairs told the Herald that the complaints are only allegations and there is no truth to them.
