Cape Town Electrical dept: Poor Service? No service!

As an electrical contractor, I sometimes need to apply for services on behalf of the client. Visiting the municipal offices you find everybody is "working from home". Approaching the available officials, is a nightmare. Very unhelpfull. speak to any member of the public, and they will tell you, it causes a knot in your tummy only to think about such a visit. No friendliness, no invitation to relay your problem, just a cold stare! In one incident I filed an application for power to be disconnected. The client completed the application document, but does not know his account or business partner number. Although there can only be one person with the same id number, address and meter number, I had to go back to the client. Then, back at the counter, the same very unhelpful "trainee" and her supervisor , gave me the cold stare, and this time requires the plot number. I , annoyed that I must go back again, requested that she must please help me, it is on the system. "Write the number down", came the order. "One seven seven....." And then the wait. Puzzled expressions, as she was staring at the screen. Fumbling with the application papers. Scrutinizing them again. And I got worried, looking around, expecting a number of securities to rush in, arrest me. She must have found some dark secret about me in those papers. Or maybe she found out about my connections with the Russian Mafia. And then, surprisingly, with a look of desperation and disappointment, she slowly handed me the papers. In the meantime Mr Budha (her trainer) sat behind her. Motionless. In fact, Mr Budha is showing more compassion and friendliness than him. But unfortunately, it is not the end. Two days later I phoned the electrical department on the call centre number. Listen about all the services, the recording of the conversation for training purposes (bull****!), then a series of numbers to direct me to the relevant department. Then the waiting, some horrible, possibly Chinese music. And I wait. Ïf you dont want to hold on, please sent us a message via e-mail, and we will come back to you asap. Bull****! And I waited. "We are experiencing high volume calls, please hold on. Your call is important to us. Seventeen minutes and twenty seven sockets later, I was transferred, Sorry sir, we are experiencing.... BULL****! Then get more operators, I said. I wants to bet her for a thousand rand, if I phone at 12'0 çlock tonight, I will get the same message! She was not interested, or has no money! I can perhaps afford to hold for seventeen minutes, I can go buy a bottle of water if their is no water. But what about the poor guy in Khayalitzia. The guy who not even own a computer! This has happened a couple of times with me. But, it is almost election time again. Me and my family will be re**** ipon to make our crosses next to the names of these politicians responsible for our misery. You have a hope, Sir.