I recently had to deal with the Krugersdorp Licensing Department for the transfer of ownership of a scooter, and what a horrible experience it was.
First of all, it doesn’t help to escalate anything to a manager or senior. You get nowhere and although all sorts of promises are made, nothing actually happens.
Upon purchasing the scooter, the first thing I did, was to put it through the roadworthy test, which it passed – no problem. Then I had to go to Cape Town for two months and upon my return when doing the change of ownership, I was told the roadworthy certificate had expired. Upon further enquiry, I was told it is valid only for 60 days. The problem I have? Nowhere on the form I was given did it indicate an expiry date. Nowhere on any window or wall is a notice indicating that a roadworthy is valid only for 60 days. The teller didn’t tell me when I paid for it, neither did the official who did the roadworthy test mention anything to me.
On returning home, I phoned the senior person. That person told the teller I must put it through the roadworthy again (apparently it had expired for five days), and I was told it is stated like that in the Traffic Act on the website. I asked her whether I should go through the complete Traffic Act every time I want to do business with them and was told is not necessary, but there was no solution either.
I was told they receive the pre-printed forms like that and cannot add anything to it. I then asked whether it wouldn’t perhaps be a good idea to discuss the issue when they have their next meeting and put up a notice or train their staff adequately to inform the public when they put it through the test. I was told this would be done. Now, I bet you, if I had to go back there now, nothing would have changed.
My other issue is that the staff (tellers) are the most miserable, unfriendly, unhelpful people I ever have come across. They don’t greet you when you get to them and make you feel like they are doing you a huge favour by assisting you. In the meantime tellers, if it is not for my business, you won’t have a job!
I cannot understand why people like that are employed. Put them in a back-office somewhere so they can groan and be miserable with themselves, where they do not work with the public.
I’m sure there are thousands of other people who will be great at working with the public. Maybe they should re-visit the job profiles of their tellers when appointing them.
