Disgusted at way public treated at traffic department

I WOULD like to report on my issues I had at the licensing department for four days.

The first day that I arrived at the department, the machines had been down for half the day and I was forced to leave because it was closing at 1.30pm instead of 2.30pm, because staff said they could not help so many people.

The second day I was waiting in a queue for four hours before I got inside the building.

Once I got in I was told that I did not have everything I needed, so I had to go back for a third time.

On the third day I got to the department at 6.30am and only left at 1.30pm.

The machine to do my eye test was not working and at the eye test machines only three people were working.

When I got into the line to pay I saw that out of the five cashier counters there was only two being staffed. Then at 12 noon all the cashiers disappeared into the back for about a half hour.

On Monday I was there for the fourth day and I was told that as soon as I had finished writing my learner’s test I could go straight to the cashiers.

But when I got there I was told that the information I was given was false and that I needed to go to the back of the line.

I got fed up and asked why the employees told me different things.

A woman began to shout at me and told me that she would not help me.

As well as that I was told to stand in one line by one woman, and then once I sat down she told me that she was only going to help up to the man two seats in front of me and would decide if she wanted to help the rest of us.

We were sent into another queue, which went out of the door.

On Monday there were roughly 40% of cashiers and eye testers working versus the 100% that should be working.

I am disgusted with the way I have been spoken to and disrespected.

Rebecca Williams, Port Elizabeth

I FULLY endorse the sentiments expressed by your readers (“Poor service and long wait at the traffic department”, January 15).

I arrived at the traffic offices at 6.45am on January 12 and only left at 2.30pm.

Most of the time only two eye/fingerprint desks were open and it took up to 20 minutes per person to be tested.

In many cases (including my own) the fingerprint function was faulty.

Despite the fact that I had already obtained an eye test certificate from my optician, I had to wait while those who had failed their eye tests and had to return were then placed in front.

After a 2½-hour wait outside – no seating or shade – I was eventually able to pay the cashier.

Once again, there were five booths but only two operational.

To add insult to injury, I was required to pay an additional amount as my licence had expired on January 6, yet the offices were closed for two days because of a computer glitch and on other days there was early closing to cope with large numbers of people.

If you Google complaints about bad service delivery at the Korsten offices, they go back to 2012! When will this ever be sorted out? It’s all very well opening new traffic centres (as stated in the press recently – “Motherwell service centre opens at last”, December 15) – that’s a long-term ideal.

Why not provide proper staffing and ensure that computer programs are updated now?

Jenny Neveling, Port Elizabeth