Patience a must when visiting local traffic dept

To anyone who has been so unfortunate to visit the Randfontein Traffic Department for any reason whatsoever, the word patience is a must. If you lose your patience you will be dealt with accordingly, as I found out on Thursday morning, 14 March.

I applied for my driver’s licence on 17 October 2018. In January this year I went to collect it, but was told to return in a few weeks time as there was a problem with issuing the cards. On 14 March I returned.

I arrived at about 8am and was seventh in the queue. Approximately 45 minutes later I handed my temporary licence to an attendant who typed a few things on his desktop, printed a page and instructed me to take this page to the eye test section.

My patience flew right out the window and I asked the attendant why I should go to the eye test section, explaining that I was there just to collect my driver’s licence.

The attendant then responded that there was a problem and I had to go there. Being the rude person I am, I made the attendant understand that that was ridiculous as it was the second time I tried to collect my licence, and that I would not repeat the whole application process again.

The attendant then told me how rude I was, that he was trying to assist me, and that I should rather leave as it seemed that I did not want to be assisted.

So dear attendant, here is my rudest possible reply. For 45 minutes I stood and watch how you drag your heels, suck on the lollipop in your mouth and look for conversation with anyone and everyone else, while the people in the queue grew from 7 to 30.

When you had to assist me, you could not even greet, or look me in the eyes, nor could you remove the lollipop from your mouth in order to properly explain the problem.

Next time before you hand me a paper and tell me to go to the eye test section, please:

1. … remove the lollipop from your mouth (it will help you to explain better)

2. … look me in the eye (it is disrespectful not to, and you are not special)

3. … explain to me the problem (that is your job!)

Because Sir, while I may be a rude person, you are lazy, disrespectful and therefore incompetent. You should not blame the ‘Card people’ if you yourself do not know the meaning of service delivery.

Whoever is in charge at this department is, in my opinion, also to blame. Just look at the permanent line of people at the door, it clearly reflects the pace at which you provide the service.