‘Sit down or go’

Adri Kruger, the owner of Tzaneen Country Lodge and chairperson of the Greater Tzaneen Tourism Association, visited the offices on Thursday, October 13 to renew her passport and ID card. “I had an awful experience. I made an appointment and when I arrived, I was number 150,” Kruger told the Herald. “After about half an hour, I was taken to do fingerprints and photos.” She then asked a female employee if there is anything she can do to get assistance as she had a doctor’s appointment in about two hours.

“At that stage, they were at around number 98 and I realised it was going to take a long time. She told me unfortunately not, I will have to wait in line.” Kruger says the office manager was sitting behind the desk doing nothing. I decided to sit it out, although I was not feeling well. After about two hours I was not sure if I should wait or go to the doctor. At that stage, they were at number 116 and I realised it is still a long way to 150.”

Also read: Woman outraged with treatment at Home Affairs in Tzaneen

She approached Eddie Maphosa as they indicated that he is in charge. She asked him if it will be possible to return the next morning and whether her number or appointment will still be valid. She says he stood up and told her in no uncertain words: “The lady answered you; you have nothing to ask me.” “I said very politely that it is a different question altogether – I just want to know if I can come in the next morning early to get it done. He repeated very brutally, “you have nothing to ask me, go sit down”.

“I asked again and he was becoming more agitated and rude, shouting at me, “I told you, you have nothing to ask, go sit down or go”. I said, “you have not yet answered my question, Sir”, and he shouted rudely at me again, “I will not speak to you. You can sit down or go”. She says she told him that she is over 60 years old and should be treated as a pensioner. “I asked you a polite question, and if you refuse to answer me, I will put this on Facebook.

Also read: People spend hours in line at Home Affairs

He screamed in rage, “you can do as you want, post as much as you want, sit or leave”. According to Kruger another elderly couple overheard the argument and approached her, saying their daughter, who is mentally disabled, must be back at Eeufeeshuis (for the handicapped) in Polokwane. They said Maphosa was also rude to them as they wanted to sit with their daughter in the line and he refused. They had to sit at the back of the line whilst she had to sit in the queue all by herself. “She was scared to be on her own.

Unfortunately, I never asked their names, but I was upset as this was an abuse of a mentally-disabled person. She cannot and should not sit by herself. “I again approached Maphosa and asked if they could not sit with their daughter. He said it had nothing to do with me, very rudely,” said Kruger. She says that she decided to sit it out and about 15 minutes before closing time Maphosa left. “Some of his staff members came to apologise to me for his terrible behaviour. It took me four hours to get through the whole process to apply for the renewal of my passport and new ID card.

The next day I ended up in the hospital because I did not get to the doctor the previous day,” Kruger said. Kruger did post her complaint on Facebook. Many residents took to the comments to share their bad experiences at the office. The Herald contacted the department for a comment without success but will publish their response once received.