Several elderly persons have contacted the Randburg Sun to inform the paper of long queues, tiresome waits, and turn-aways experienced by elderly persons at the Randburg Licensing Department.
Queues as long as the eye can see start in the early hours of each Wednesday, filled with frail elderly persons using walking sticks and frames, and no place to sit in the scorching sun.
Many pensioners have complained that they are unaware of the special day set aside for pensioners, and when they arrive on any other day, the vast majority are turned away.
In one of many incidents, pensioner Faryl Posnic said, “My friend and I decided to renew our driver’s licences as they had expired, so we made the effort planning our entire day to go to the station on a Friday, only to be rudely told that this was not the day for pensioners and we had to return on a Wednesday.”
She and her friend returned the following Wednesday at the crack of dawn only to see a queue of pensioners stretching around the building.
“The queue was not moving and the sun was baking down. Eventually, a woman came out to hand out renewal and Covid-19 forms to people, with no pens or a place to press on to fill them out. Around two hours later, we were informed that the queue would be cut-off, and the rest of us had to return at a later date.”
Pensioner Valerie Seal said that the issue has been going on for months.
“I live in a retirement village and am 84 years old. I do understand that there is a backlog of applications because of Covid-19, but when your licence expires as mine did at the end of August one becomes anxious. On a Monday, I went to check the procedure out and was clearly told. Online, it said pensioners do not have to apply online but go directly to the nearest licencing office.
“My neighbour told me that she had gone the week before at 9am and came out at 4pm dehydrated, hungry and exhausted. When I went, there was no social distancing, just a long line of pensioners sitting on the wall and a few standing. As it began to thunder I left but had no intention of standing there for hours anyway.
Pensioner Ken Morgan added, “I arrived there at 7am and waited in the queue outside the building for five hours before being admitted to the corridor within the building for another 30 minutes before fingerprint and form processing. I then joined the queue to cashiers for payment and stood for a further 90 minutes before we were told that we could not make a payment because the queue was too long.
“So, after seven hours I still have not completed my application to renew my driver’s licence and must go back to make payment. I consider this behaviour to be inconsiderate of the elderly, and particularly those among them who have physical disabilities, who must endure the elements outdoors for long hours without any seating or access to refreshments while the younger people have the benefit of online booking.”
Ward 102 councillor David Potter said that the current ‘Wednesday only’ set up is a disappointment for the elderly and infirm.
“I saw lots of photos yesterday [22 October] and received a handful of complaints of the elderly waiting for their renewals from 7.30am and only got inside after 1pm. Many were turned away at 9.30am. Some that were not, were turned away later in the day after processing their test and told to return to pay the next day. This issue needs to be addressed by the Department of Transport and the Road Traffic Management Company urgently,” he said.
The Randburg Sun has contacted the City, the Road Traffic Management Corporation, and the Department of Transport and is awaiting a response.
“We as pensioners want to do the right thing and sort our licencing out, and although the government has given some leeway, there are a lot of us driving without valid licences right now due to this issue,” said Posnic.
