The Scuffle With Home Affairs Continues

I had three unsuccessful attempts to apply for a new ID card at a Durban Home Affairs office. Eight to nine hours in the cheery batho pele / people first environment can be draining. The jolly, communicative staff make the experience all the more memorable.

I again tried booking online, something I'd attempted before with as much success as an EFF by-election campaign.

 Several attempts yielded no fruit. I, of course,  knew that calling the helpline would be as useful as waiting for Eskom to get its act together. I tried nevertheless. And was duly rewarded with The Silence of Desolation. I then wrote to the given email address, not expecting much. To my surprise I received this answer 6 days later.

Good Day Sir/Madam
Thank you for writing into the Department of Home Affairs contact centre.
Please note we have included below the link to book an appointment at the office. Should the office that you want to visit not be on the list then you will have to do a walk-in at that office.
https://services.dha.gov.za/#/authenticate/identity
The site is working.
Kind Regards 

I imagine that the six days were spent analysing my letter, perhaps looking for the deep undercurrents, symbolism, imagery and so forth. Well, let me not be churlish. At least an answer did arrive this year and this month. Yes, the site does work, after a fashion. If you have the patience to repeat the steps up to six times, you will probably arrive at the Nirvana of being able to book a date. Now this is where the fun really starts.

I chose a period from July to the 21st of August. A noticed popped up with the joyous news that there were no slots available during this period. Why the 21st of August? Well, because one cannot proceed  beyond that fateful date on the booking system. Perhaps Home Affairs knows something. The return of the Lord, foretold by Mr Zuma? So there are no available slots until the 21st of August. And beyond that date none may venture. Joseph Heller, author of Catch-22 would have loved this.

Is there some elaborate joke that only I am unaware of? Is there a bunch of people sitting in a darkened room somewhere laughing their heads off.

 "Look, he's really tearing his hair out. Tee hee, hee."

 By the time I got to the 21 August Catch 2023,  I could no longer contain myself. The laughter was loud, hysterical, abandoned. I did not even hear the men in the white coats come in. They have kindly allowed me a respite from the starched white jacket so that I can write this.  Let this serve as a warning to any innocent who may think that dealing with Home Affairs is a straightforward, normal transaction. Be warned. There are two dozen of us here in the nice white rooms, still laughing our heads off.

Sorry, I have to go. Time for our pills.

Tips for the blogger gratefully accepted 

Capitec Bank, South Africa  

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O Tichmann 

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