Durban - Although there were no lines outside the Department of Home Affairs office in oThongathi (Tongaat) at midday last Thursday, there were close to 100 people sitting inside waiting to be served.
The office hands out 140 tickets to applicants each day.
Phoenix resident Inba Gounden was glad she had snacks and water.
By 1pm the diabetic, who intended making an application for a Smart ID, had to eat or her health would have been at risk.
“I was lucky I made the cut-off number, even though I had arrived here just before 7am. By that time, the lines had already stretched on to the pavement, over 50 metres away from the entrance gate.”
A Phoenix father, who accompanied his son to apply for his Smart ID, complained that the building lacked the facilities that would make the long and tiring wait easier.
“There should be seats for the pensioners, pregnant women and mothers carrying newborn babies, especially while they wait outside,” said Vasuthaven Naidu.
“These people are forced to stand in the blazing sun, or sometimes rain, while they wait for tickets. However, they have no choice, as they have to make the necessary applications.”
He added that the oThongathi branch had two machines that could accommodate the new Smart card applications.
“They need to urgently improve the facilities at this branch, which also caters for people from Phoenix, Verulam and surrounding areas. If the machines break, then what?”
Last Tuesday, Phoenix resident Kiran Hiralall had witnessed tickets being dished out to applicants who had not been attended to the previous day.
“When I arrived at 5am, there were already about 50 people ahead of me. Some were huddled in blankets and were sitting in the chairs they had carried along. I wish I had done the same.”
At around 8am, he said that an employee wanted those who had not not been attended to from the Monday to form a separate line.
“They were then given preference over us,” Hiralall added.
He and his wife, who were number 76 and 77, had finally made it through the office’s front door but had to wait for someone from “meet and greet” to attend to them. This took another hour.
“That person kept leaving the counter and we were forced to wait for him to return. When I finally reached the application counter, I was told that because I had made an online application for a passport, they would not be able to process a new application.
“They could not cancel the online application then and there, and suggested I return after a few days to check the progress. This meant I would have to follow the same queuing process.”
Hiralall added that the department had no compassion for those who had to take leave from work to queue at their offices.