BETHAL – Residents are tired of the poor service at the Bethal licensing department.
Some residents drove to other towns, such as Hendrina, to apply for their licenses as they get no joy form the licensing department in Bethal.
The complaints include that the licensing department only helps 20 people daily and that they are often offline or the eye test machine is often out of order.
“The personnel are rude and arrogant,” said a resident.
“I have already taken time off from work four times. I cannot take more time off, because my managers do not believe me each time I tell them that I have to go back to the licensing department,” said another resident.
Another resident stood in the queue the whole morning and when she was at the front at around 12.45pm, the doors were closed and she was told they were going on lunch.
By 3pm the doors were still closed and personnel were still ‘on lunch.’
The resident eventually left.
Residents also complained that the personnel let them stand in line the whole day and only tell them in the afternoon that they can only help 20 people.
“This is the worst licensing department ever,” said another resident.
It took the Bethal licensing department longer that a year to figure out that the system was not accepting an applicant’s finger prints.
She waited for 18 months for her license and had to get two temporary licenses during this time.
“They should get a ticket system like the banks have these days.
“Then people will not be able to push in or jump the queue.”
The Ridge Times asked the senior manager of the transport administration and licensing department of the Department for Community Safety, Security and Liaison for comment on Monday, 17 February. His comment will be published in the next edition.
