Small payment assures swift service

THERE’S no need to queue for long at the Port Shepstone Licensing Department after all, it seems. All one needs to do is (allegedly) slip an official a backhand of a mere R100 and you’re in.

Since August 2014 the licensing department has come under huge flak from a frustrated public for long queues and uncaring, (sometimes) rude officials.

This apparently because of the full implementation of the Live Capturing Units (LCU) and only one office serving the entire Hibiscus Coast.

Also incurring the wrath of some who had travelled from afar, the entire ‘one-and-only’ closed down for an entire day recently for a funeral.

There are mixed reports from people, some actually praising the department for ‘quick, warm and friendly service’.

However, others have reported that they were turned away at the door because of a strictly 150-a-day only quota, regardless of whether the queue is reduced to a handful and hours before the official closing time of 4pm.

This is how it works: Numbered cards are handed out at the information desk and then retrieved by an official after the eye test and fingerprinting.

One Port Shepstone motorist told the Herald he followed the procedure and inquired at the counter about which queue to join. The teller asked if he had a number, which he didn’t.

“The teller then asked if I wound be interested in ‘buying’ a number for R100. Another staff member (woman) came to the teller and said she didn’t know me, seemingly meaning it would be safe to take the payment,” said the motorist.

Now curious, he paid the money and was given a number in the 40s.

“I was told to pay a man standing outside the licence office, which I did. I then took my place in front of others who were there long before me,” he said.

While seated in the queue, he overheard one of the staff members asking another woman if she would like to buy an early date for a driver’s licence test.

“She asked ‘how much’ and the staff member replied ‘R600’. I remember the woman saying she did not have the money and the staff member walked away,” he said.

Hibiscus Coast Municipality spokesman Simon April said the municipality was against all forms of corruption.

“We would like to remind all members of the public that the services paid for in the municipality are always in the public domain. Therefore, people should not be caught by surprise. We urge all to report corrupt officials to the authorities or the police,” said Mr April.

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