Irate Home Affairs customers stage sit-in
The offices of the Department of Home
Affairs in Randburg was the scene of a sit-in by irate customers on
Tuesday.
One of the customers, Kgomotso Marokoane, says she had been turned away by department numerous times in one week while trying to apply for an ID document.
"Yesterday the line got cut off at 2:30pm, they told us they will not be serving any more people because there are already too many people inside and they don't want to work after hours."
The situation then repeated itself on Tuesday.
"We all complained and decided to stay behind,” says Marokoane.
Listen below:
Home Affairs spokesperson Mayihlome Tshwete says the department is doing it's level best to service everyone.
He says due to budget constraints the department no longer operates on Saturdays.
"What the department has done is to explain to clients that the people outside the office at a particular time, who are going to end up queuing and not get served. The department prefers to tell them they will not be served on this particular day.”
He says the budget constraints means the department cannot afford to pay staff overtime.
"So whatever time we say are the business time, that is the only time we can serve clients."
Listen below: