Janis Wood writes:
It was with total shock and horror that I read of Mr and Mrs Roos’ visit to the Florida Licensing Department.
On 15 December last year, my sister and I went to the Randburg Licencing Department to renew our driver’s licences. The office was closed for the day for their Christmas party.
Later on during that week, I went to Marlboro Licensing Department and stood in a queue for about half an hour only to be told that the licensing department was closed for a few months for upgrading.
At my wit’s end, as my driver’s licence expired in early January, I went to the Florida Licencing Department. As I arrived, a couple of men approached me in the parking lot and said they could help me jump the queue if I gave them R400.
I don’t normally agree to things like this, but I had had enough and decided why not. I was told to stay in the car and they would be back in 10 minutes. I was also asked to go to the shop down the road to get them some cold drinks and that one of the men would accompany me. I went to the shop, but on my own, (in hindsight, I wonder what would have happened if the man came with me).
When I got back to the licensing department with their cold drinks, someone else came up to the car in the parking lot again and said I had an outstanding fine which I queried but handed over the money.
At that stage I started feeling very vulnerable. They then came back again for another amount of money, something to do with admin and I told them I had nothing left. I waited in my car for over an hour, realising that I had been scammed and not knowing what to do until yet another man approached the car to say the original men had left long ago with my money and he would now help me. I declined his help, went to the ATM at the nearest garage to get more money and renewed my licence myself.
I heard afterwards that this was a common occurrence at Florida and Randburg licensing departments – all happening on the actual property in the parking lot of the licensing department and not outside in the road.
Since when has a visit to the local licensing department become downright dangerous? If it is a known fact that this sort of thing is happening, why is security not properly handled on the premises and why is there only one security guard in the parking lot at Florida?
My heart goes out to the Roos family – they lost a loved one while all I lost was R600.
Editor’s note: Letter published unedited.
