The situation at the local Department of Labour (Dol) labour centre on Albertina Sisulu Road has reached breaking point.
Beneficiaries who visit the centre for matters such as unemployment insurance fund (UIF) and workers compensation are up in arms over the way they are treated by the management of the centre.
When the Record visited Wednesday morning at about 10am it was swarmed by members of the public who has been queuing for hours. All had their own horror stories to relate. Some had to return day after day to be helped for as long as two weeks. They were also told that only 70 people will be helped every day and to insure being helped they have to be at the centre at 4am. (The center only opens at 7.30am and closes at 4pm).
In the queue were pregnant woman, elderly, sick and disabled all desperately hoping to be helped. Claimants travel from as far as Dobsonville to the centre.
Visitors are also not afforded the use of the toilets and other amenities. They also allege that by 11am the first 70 had been helped but that after that the centre is empty until four.
The Record could not reach the department’s spokesperson by the time of going to press.
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