Durbanites were left unable to process certain applications at the Department of Home Affairs on Wednesday because of broken scanning machines at two branches.
A disgruntled member of the public, who went in to obtain a passport for his daughter, said officials at the branches on Umgeni Road and Dr AB Xuma (Commercial) Street told him their scanning machine was broken.
An official from Home Affairs in eThekwini said on Wednesday technicians were working on the problem.
Philani Mgwaba, who required documents to be scanned for an application for his daughter’s
passport, told The Mercury he could not be helped when he went on Friday and Wednesday.
“I went to Home Affairs on Umgeni Road at about 6.30am (Wednesday) and at about 8am officials arrived. They said the scanners still weren’t working and I needed to go to town (branch).
“I drove to town and the scanners also weren’t working.”
His daughter’s application requires documents from Mgwaba and his wife. Mgwaba, who lives in Johannesburg, said he had to process the application while on leave in Durban, where his wife lives.
He said scores of people were left frustrated on Wednesday morning.
“A lot of people were like me and needed to go from Umgeni (Road branch) to town.
"At least I have a car, but there are many from townships and areas outside Durban who would have to take a day off and come there and just get brushed off
like that.”
Mgwaba added that if the two branches had been communicating with each other, they could have saved him a trip to the CBD.
“I am very frustrated; I spent time to try to get it done. This is sheer incompetence.”
Mgwaba said he needed to apply for his daughter’s passport this week so it could be processed by the end of February. “I will be in trouble if I can’t sort this out by Friday.”
Tersha Smith, Home Affairs' district manager of operations in eThekwini, said they expected the problem to be sorted out by close of business on Wednesday.
“There is only one scanner (per branch). They are extremely expensive, but it deals with great volumes.”
Smith said the scanners broke down last Friday afternoon and they could not call out technicians as they were not working during the festive period.