More than 100 people still waiting in line to be served at Home Affairs in Umgeni Road in Durban demanded that they be helped when the office closed early on Thursday. Photo: Nokulunga Majola
Chaos erupted outside the Home Affairs office in Umgeni Road, Durban on Thursday when scores of people demanded assistance after the office closed early at 3:30 pm.
People had been queuing for more than eight hours to apply for IDs and passports, and by late afternoon, the line was still snaking outside. Many people we spoke to were returning for the second and third time without assistance.
About 100 people were still waiting in line outside when they were informed that the office was closing early, as the system was apparently offline. Thereafter an angry crowd tried to stop a state-branded vehicle from leaving the premises.
According to people who were at Home Affairs the previous day, the system had also been offline for most of the day.
“I was here on Tuesday from 7 am but I had to turn back. I returned [on Thursday] because on Wednesday they only serve matrics. This is so frustrating. We don’t understand why we need to spend a whole day here just to collect IDs,” said Buyile Madonsela from Inanda. She said she spends a total of R76 a day for her and her grandson to travel to Home Affairs.
Nomusa Dabula from Quarry Heights said she needs her ID so she can complete her applications to tertiary institutions. “You cannot do anything without an ID. I came on Friday, I had to return home without any assistance. I came again today and it’s the same issue. How many more times must I keep coming here?” asked Dabula.
To quell the crowd outside, District Manager of Operations at eThekwini, Mbongeni Magagula, told them that what had happened was not isolated and that he was “used to addressing an angry crowd of people” because “it happens every day”. He explained that the staff had already left for the day and asked the group to leave because there was no one to assist them.
Some people were given slips of paper with dates on them on when to return but most of them called for the Minister of Home Affairs to intervene.
Questions sent to Home Affairs were not answered by the time of publication.
Share on Facebook «||»
Share on Twitter «||»
Share on Reddit «||»
Share on LinkedIn
Read Related News On TDPel Media
Advertisement
Umgeni River in KZN took a car: Emergency Response Efforts Numerous emergency response teams, including IPSS Search & Rescue, Durban Metro Search & Rescue, SAPS Search & Rescue, START RESCUE, and NSRI,...
Breaking: Man shot dead in Durban outside hardware store: Today, a man was shot and died outside a Durban hardware store. During the incident, a passenger was also hurt. According to Shawn Herbst of...
Deputy Minister Njabulo Nzuza opens Home Affairs office at Rahima Moosa Hospital, 18 Feb: The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Njabulo Nzuza accompanied by Gauteng Health MEC, Dr Nomathemba Mokgethi will, on Friday, 18 February 2022, open a Home Affairs office at...
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Meets Minister of Foreign Affairs of Morocco: HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met on Monday in Doha with HE Minister of Foreign Affairs,...
Comrades Marathon Prompts Road Closures and Travel Advisory Between Durban and Pietermaritzburg: …By Roland Peterson for TDPel Media. Motorists traveling between Durban and Pietermaritzburg have been urged to seek alternative routes on Sunday, as several roads will...
Section of Langata Road closed as Footbridge near Nyayo roundabout collapses: On Saturday, a traffic jam formed along Langata road after a foot bridge being erected near the Nyayo stadium roundabout collapsed. A driver was hurt,...
Massive Teen Brawl Erupts Outside Las Vegas Casino in Suspected Social Media-Organized Chaos: A chaotic scene unfolded in the streets of Las Vegas as dozens of teens engaged in a massive brawl suspected to be organized through social...
MBZMFG, Education Affairs Office and Strategy Directives launch Maharatkom Programme: MBZMFG, Education Affairs Office and Strategy Directives launch Maharatkom Programme ABU DHABI, 10th February, 2022 – The Mohamed Bin Zayed Majlis for Future Generations (MBZMFG)...
Saif bin Zayed meets with Home Affairs Minister of Bangladesh at Expo 2020 Dubai: Saif bin Zayed meets with Home Affairs Minister of Bangladesh at Expo 2020 Dubai DUBAI, 16th February, 2022 – H. H. Lt. General Sheikh Saif...
U.S.-EU Joint Statement Following the U.S.-EU Ministerial on Justice and Home Affairs: On Nov. 13 and 14, the U. S. -EU Ministerial Meeting on Justice and Home Affairs took place in Washington, D. C. The United States...