Trying to renew one’s driver’s licence is enough to drive one to drink… and now there’s hard evidence to prove it.
About four empty vodka ‘nips’ were found stacked up on the window sill in the stinking loo at the Umzinto licensing department last Friday.
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In retrospect, I regret not bringing my own hip flask.
As teachers had last Friday off, it was an opportune time for our family to replace licences that were stolen with our wallets and purses in a recent robbery.
If social media posts are to be believed, trying to renew one’s licence in Port Shepstone is wrist-slitting stuff so everyone advises: “Go to Umzinto”.
How fools rush in!
There we were, nice and early, grim black and white mug shots and IDs in hand, second in the queue and waiting for the offices to open at 8am. Collect green forms in front office… walk around side to tatty prefab office for finger-printing and eye tests. Easy-peasy… we should be done and dusted in no time, we thought. Who needs chairs?
Friendly banter with first woman: “I stood here for hours the other day and they sent me away because I didn’t have proof of residence.”
Huh? Oh, sh..!
Rush off, dodge potholes in main street to find somewhere in Umzinto to print out Eskom account from laptop, rush back to No 10 in queue.
Friendly banter with couple in front of us: “We stood here for hours the other day and they sent us away because we didn’t have an affidavit to say my wife lives with me.”
Huh? Oh, sh..!
Pointless trying to dodge potholes, rush to Umzinto police station, get affidavits, rush back to No 18 in queue. Wait, wait, wait… queue not moving… even first woman still there!
Everyone fidgeting on their feet, cursing under their breath.
A bored official eventually pokes his unconcerned face out of a small window in the prefab: “We’ve run out of eye test forms. You must be patient.”
Only several hours later did he add that the forms were coming from… Pietermaritzburg!
“Have they left yet?”
Nonchalant shrug, close window… 12.30pm…lunch!
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Rush to nearest bottle store, stock up on vodka like everyone else.
In truth, it wasn’t a funny experience and it will be difficult for all of us to take another day off work… because that is what it takes.
Apparently, it’s no better at most other licensing offices countrywide. That means thousands of people downing tools for an entire day… to queue.
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