An influx of applicants for new smart card IDs has caused a backlog at the department of home affairs, forcing people to queue in the sun for days.
The Daily Dispatch visited the offices located in Fleet Street in East London at around midday yesterday and found mothers with crying babies on their backs, and old and young people standing outside.
Some complained that they had been queuing since Monday and were yet to make it through the front door.
Asanda Nqamlana, who was standing in the line, said the door security allowed only 10 people inside at a time.
Nqamlana, who went to apply for her child’s birth certificate, said this was her second attempt to get inside.
“I was here yesterday but I left with the application forms after spending more than five hours without getting any assistance.”
She had already been queuing for five hours when the Dispatch arrived.
Inside, the building was packed to capacity.
Last week, King William’s Town home affairs office manager Ali van Heerden said applications were open for the new smart ID cards for all citizens across major branches of the department of home affairs in the province.
Van Heerden earlier told the Dispatch the department was concerned about the low volumes of people visiting their offices to apply for the new smart card.
He had encouraged people wishing to apply to visit branches in East London, King William’s Town, Butterworth, Centane, Willowvale, Queenstown, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth.
The district manager for home affairs, Ngenisile Stuurman, yesterday blamed the long queues on the reopening of schools and applicants for the new smart card ID.
“Some of the parents have lost their children’s birth certificates and are now rushing to get new ones,” said Stuurman.
He said his office was not understaffed, but admitted some of the staff were on holiday.
Stuurman said they had moved some staff from the Mdantsane offices to East London to help clear the backlog.
He expected the situation to return to normal in the coming week.
Bongozwa Moni, who travelled all the way from Nxarhuni outside Mdantsane to get a copy of her mother’s death certificate, said she spent hours in the scorching sun on Wednesday – and when she finally made it inside she was told the system was offline.
“It cost me R40 to get here. If I don’t get helped today , I will not be able to afford to come back any time soon.” said Moni.
Ntomboxolo Mada, who was carrying her one-month-old baby, said she spent close to 20 hours in the queue this week.
Mada wants to apply for a birth certificate for her baby. Yesterday she had been in the line for three hours by midday.
Exhausted and dehydrated, some of the people sat down on the ground next to the building.
“We are thirsty and hungry and no one is telling us what is going on,” exclaimed Thembeka Mnqoboti.
Home affairs faces backlog
The Daily Dispatch visited the offices located in Fleet Street in East London at around midday yesterday and found mothers with crying babies on their backs, and old and young people standing outside.
Some complained that they had been queuing since Monday and were yet to make it through the front door.
Asanda Nqamlana, who was standing in the line, said the door security allowed only 10 people inside at a time.
Nqamlana, who went to apply for her child’s birth certificate, said this was her second attempt to get inside.
“I was here yesterday but I left with the application forms after spending more than five hours without getting any assistance.”
She had already been queuing for five hours when the Dispatch arrived.
Inside, the building was packed to capacity.
Last week, King William’s Town home affairs office manager Ali van Heerden said applications were open for the new smart ID cards for all citizens across major branches of the department of home affairs in the province.
Van Heerden earlier told the Dispatch the department was concerned about the low volumes of people visiting their offices to apply for the new smart card.
He had encouraged people wishing to apply to visit branches in East London, King William’s Town, Butterworth, Centane, Willowvale, Queenstown, Mthatha and Port Elizabeth.
The district manager for home affairs, Ngenisile Stuurman, yesterday blamed the long queues on the reopening of schools and applicants for the new smart card ID.
“Some of the parents have lost their children’s birth certificates and are now rushing to get new ones,” said Stuurman.
He said his office was not understaffed, but admitted some of the staff were on holiday.
Stuurman said they had moved some staff from the Mdantsane offices to East London to help clear the backlog.
He expected the situation to return to normal in the coming week.
Bongozwa Moni, who travelled all the way from Nxarhuni outside Mdantsane to get a copy of her mother’s death certificate, said she spent hours in the scorching sun on Wednesday – and when she finally made it inside she was told the system was offline.
“It cost me R40 to get here. If I don’t get helped today , I will not be able to afford to come back any time soon.” said Moni.
Ntomboxolo Mada, who was carrying her one-month-old baby, said she spent close to 20 hours in the queue this week.
Mada wants to apply for a birth certificate for her baby. Yesterday she had been in the line for three hours by midday.
Exhausted and dehydrated, some of the people sat down on the ground next to the building.
“We are thirsty and hungry and no one is telling us what is going on,” exclaimed Thembeka Mnqoboti.
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