Long wait at labour office

I HAVE, unfortunately due to no fault of mine, joined the unemployment queue and had the misfortune of going to the UIF department in Uitenhage. My first visit was uneventful, though the queuing system left much to be desired.

Of the 10 cubicles available, only two were processing documentation. After a four-hour wait I was attended to and then advised when to return.

At my next visit at the beginning of May, I was really annoyed by the inefficiency, laziness and general “don’t care” attitude of the staff. A staff member at one of the cubicles was processing workman’s compensation claims so was unable to assist.

An UIF employee was assisting and then he went off on his break. Another UIF employee came to assist and when it was my turn to be helped, he picked up his belongings and went to lunch.

People were starting to get angry as we had been sitting there in excess of five hours. We were advised to go to the security desk and request that a UIF supervisor be called.

No security guard was in sight. Eventually a UIF supervisor arrived, and acted all shocked and surprised that no staff were working.

She then said she would investigate, but she never returned. Another UIF employee then advised that they closed their doors at 3.30pm and we would have to return the following day.

A UIF employee returned to his cubicle and assisted me. I was advised after waiting for five hours that my paperwork was still being verified in Port Elizabeth and I could phone back in two weeks.

In the time that I waited, the phone rang continually and was never answered. All 10 cubicles should be operating and performing different functions (maternity, sign-on, etc), but people have to sit in the same queue which is a total waste of time.

A person already feels embarrassed about having to go to the UIF offices and being treated like this is totally unacceptable.