POLOKWANE – One of the five woman, 74-year-old Annatjie Stassen, has been doing this strenuous job (renewing motor vehicle licences and pay traffic fines) for 12 years.
According to Stassen, two security guards recently forced her to leave the licensing department after she told a woman who claimed to work at the Office of the Premier to stand in the queue like everyone else. This was after she went to the front of the queue and was helped immediately..
“I told the woman she needed to stand in line like everyone else and wait her turn, at which she replied that she would talk to the premier and make sure I and others who offer this service, lose our ‘privileges’ and are no longer able to earn a living,” Stassen said.
Matters spiraled out of control very quickly thereafter and the two security guards swore at her and some of the other women in the queue who were of the same opinion she was, after which they told her and two other women who offer the same service as she does, to “F*** off”. The security guards also forced some of their customers who had arrived to take their places that had been kept for them in the queue, to go to the back of the line.
The following day Stassen and the women (who do not wish to be named) returned to the licensing department in order to do their jobs, as they do every day.
The same security guards prevented them from entering the premises. They were told they were no longer allowed to stand in the queue on behalf of their customers as a letter written by Premier Stanley Mathabatha himself prohibited this. The Acting Head of Traffic, whose name is not known to them, concurred with this.
“We have not been allowed to do our jobs since then,” Stassen said.
The three women said they then spoke to Yke Beetge, whom they were informed is the Head of Security at the licensing department. “He said there is no reason we may not stand in the queue for other people and it is our right to earn an income in this manner as long as people are willing to pay for our services,” Stassen said.
Premier’s Spokesperson, Kenny Mathivha, denied a letter was sent by the premier or his representative on the matter.
No one in municipal communications could comment on the matter on Wednesday.
Confirmation was, however given that comment would follow after an investigation.
