Service woes at Sheppie labour office
One of the Department of Labour's customers who arrived at the Port Shepstone office at 06:30 said some people started queuing at 04:00 but still went home after 16:00 without their issues being addressed.
Queuing at sunrise gives no guarantee of service at the Port Shepstone Department of Labour.
This was a sentiment shared by Noluthando Gumbi, who was frustrated by the service she received at the labour office recently.
Gumbi, who arrived at the centre at 06:30, said some people started queuing from 04:00 but still went home after 16:00 without their issues being addressed.
The Port Shepstone Department of Labour offices open at 07:30 and close at 16:00.
Most people who spoke to Fever last week said they were there because they had issues related to the Unemployment Insurance Fund.
Gumbi said she started queuing on February 26, and she has not been assisted.
“I came back on March 4 and left without being assisted. On March 11, I came back again and left without any assistance. I came back on April 6, and I was not assisted. And now I am back here again. It is May 9, I got here at 06:30, and now it is past 15:00, and I am still in the queue,” she said.
She said what frustrated her the most was the lack of communication from the department’s staff. She said the staff needs to communicate with its customers who are queuing outside if there are any delays.
Gumbi said there was a power cut on Thursday but no one informed them, they just heard generators running from businesses next door, and no one was let into the department’s office.
She further alleged that on May 9, the first person served by the Port Shepstone office staff was only attended to at 09:40.
“The offices were closed, and the employees were inside. We asked the security guard why they weren’t opening, he said there was a meeting. This is another concern, the only people who communicate or try to keep order are the security officers. Although they try, sometimes they ask you to queue or wait in an area where you should not be and that is because what they are doing is not part of their job,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Department of Labour and Employment KZN spokesperson, Nhlanhla Khumalo, said this matter was reported back to Port Shepstone management for clarity and assistance.
He said it was further escalated to provincial management for intervention.
“It should not be acceptable that our clients are experiencing such a bad service. We shall investigate these allegations and insist on the improvement of service delivery to our clients, especially at the Port Shepstone office,” he said.
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