EDITOR – I am in the process of obtaining a new Smart ID card, as promoted by the government.
On my fifth visit to the Department of Home Affairs, I was finally able to lodge my application, and now only have to collect my ID.
After travelling 300km and spending 16 hours in queues, I used this time to practise social interaction with strangers, and made many new friends. Some were very organised, and took along their camping chairs, flasks of coffee and snacks. Magazines were also shared to pass the time. We were even considering forming a Home Affairs Self Help Club. I also spent many hours gazing at the splendid portraits of revered politicians in the building, and wondered how many hours they have spent queuing in government departments?
The main problem is that the system server cannot cope and crashes frequently. Locally, only half the hardware is working, and the staff seem more interested in communicating with each other than the public.
On a more serious note, most of the applicants rely on public transport, and I can see why the voter numbers have dropped, as it is extremely difficult and expensive to obtain an ID document. The one woman I met had been trying since 2014 to apply for her ID.
So now all I need is to collect my ID, and have faith, as some of my new friends had tried more than six times to collect their documents. Maybe I will attain the record?
JOE CITIZEN
