EDITOR – I applied for both my children’s unabridged birth certificates on September 2 last year and received an SMS at the end of November to say that it was ready for collection.
On December 10, I sat there for over five hours only to get to the front and collect only one certificate.
The other one was not there and no one could tell me why or what the delay was.
Since then, I called the call centre every week, have kept record of every call and who I spoke to.
I was recently informed that the birth certificate was finally ready for collection, so I sent my mom, a pensioner with diabetes and kidney infection, with a letter to collect on my behalf.
She arrived there shortly after 9:30am and eventually made it to the front of the line just after 2pm, this after there are notes all over stating they will assist within two to three hours.
Upon collecting the birth certificate, she realised that my surname was spelt incorrectly, how I ask?
I immediately called the call centre and was told to request to see a manager and request that they fix it immediately as the error is from their side.
The manager then confirmed that it was an error from head office, everyone shifts the blame and blames each other.
Here I am, more than five months later, angry and totally frustrated, not knowing if I will ever get the correct birth certificate.
I applied way in advance, knowing that it will be required by my son’s school and here I sit five months later unable to provide it to my son’s school.
Surely there is something more they can do to assist with a case like this?
RHODIA COETZER
EDENVALE
EDITOR’S COMMENT – The letter was sent to the media department for the Gauteng Department of Home Affairs for comment on March 6.
Comment was requested by March 13.
At the time of going to print, no comment was received.
