ANYONE who has had to renew their driver’s licence in Port Shepstone will vouch that it is the stuff of nightmares.
The good news, however, is that it might just become a more pleasant dream if the Hibiscus Coast Municipality gets its way in the new financial year.
But back to the present.
Feelings of dread are already there when one approaches the little backstreet house-of-horrors to see a zombie-like overflow of people lounging around outside. A warm smile is met with a look of total despair and one soon finds out why.
Inside, the room is packed with more ‘zombies’ sitting, standing… filling every nook and cranny. Most have already run out of conversation or moans, groans and there’s an eerie silence. Their cold eyes follow you, the newbie, as you nervously look for someone… anyone to tell you what to do.
A security guard! “Hi, can you help me. I need to renew my driver’s licence.” His casually chin-points to a queue of about 10 people in front of a window marked ‘Enquiries’.
Eventually, an expressionless woman hands you a green form, staples a ticket marked ‘85’ on it and chin-points vaguely in the direction of the mass of ‘zombies’.
Where the queue… or queues… even start is anyone’s guess. But wait! At least one other window is manned by a woman chewing gum and gabbing away on a cellphone. Bonus! She’s not attending to anyone!
Smile warmly, wait patiently for her to finish her call. “Hi, can you help me. I have already had my eyes tested at an optometrist, can I just pay here to renew my licence?”
Angry stare! Silence! Had she heard me?
“GOOD MORNING!”
“Oh, sorry,” one replies sheepishly. “Good morning.., can you….” Another chin-point to the mass of ‘zombies’ behind you. Now with near panic written all over your face: “No, you don’t understand. I have already done my eye test…”
“YOU MUST WAIT IN THE QUEUE.”
Forlornly, one glances down at the number ‘85’ and then slinks out of the house-of-horrors, the zombies’ dead eyes following you as you go.
After four visits, I am now beginning to wonder if I’m trapped in a movie called ‘Groundhog Day’. The only difference is I have filled in the form, but I still have to queue at ‘Enquiries’ and my number is always in the 80s.
I regret to say that I am now a criminal in the eyes of the law every time I get behind the wheel of my car.
