Frustration at slow licensing process
MBOMBELA - Frustrations are mounting with licensing offices in the Lowveld. Motorists planning to conduct other transactions at the local offices have had to contend with a myriad issues since the national lockdown was lifted.
These include a shortage of face-value paper, Covid-19 office closures, limited queues, offline systems and what many refer to as below-par services. A visit to the Umjindi Traffic Department last week revealed that the waiting times were long, one employee was manning the booth for a number of different transactions and a customer, armed with a bag of documents, held up the queue for longer than an hour. While adhering to Covd-19 protocols, the queuing residents had to endure blazing temperatures before being attended to.
Customers voiced their dissatisfaction with the long waiting periods and many left, intending to return the following day. Lowvelder spoke to the spokesperson for community safety, security and liaison (DCSSL), Moeti Mmusi, to ascertain what the way forward is.
"We try to process as many applications as we can, but we have had to adjust our processes due to Covid-19. Most of the centres, particularly in Mbombela, are fully stocked with face-value paper.
"In cases where there are issues, the department will interact with centre management to best assist our customers," he said.
Mmusi admitted to the department expecting an influx of customers, especially over the December period, but added that the licensing centres in Mbombela would not be extending their hours of operation.
With regards to limiting the number of transactions per customer in order to accommodate everyone, he said people providing the Queue4U service have not presented a problem to the department.
"It is not contracted to the DCSSL, but rather persons providing a service to customers who might not be able to come to the licensing centres. We cannot allow a situation where one person comes with many documents, which inconveniences others in the queue, but we will allow at least three applications."
Mmusi expressed his hope that all customers will receive assistance at the various offices within the municipality. The national lockdown has made it impossible for many motorists to renew vehicle licences and left them wondering whether any penalties would be levied once vehicle licences have been renewed.
"Penalties will be levied on all outstanding accounts because it is the law. A moratorium was announced for customers with licences that expired during the lockdown and no further extensions will be granted," he concluded.