Department of home affairs Middelburg is ******* and incompet8

I went there in December with my 2 kids. I app**** to renew my passport which is expiring in 2024. I need this to renew my work contract in America. The guy sent an application for an ID instead. As he was speaking I realised he kept saying ID , so I asked. He apologized and then said that for him to apply now for my passport I will have to pay for the ID because the system will not allow him to apply for the passport unless I pay for the ID or cancel the ID but then I will have to wait for 10 business days for the system to accept the cancelation and then apply for the passport. So then I paid for the ID and app**** for the passport immediately.

I then had to pay double as well for the passport R1200. When I asked why, the one consultant said its because I did not bring my old passport with me. I took out my passport and showed her then she said well I don't know then why you must pay R1200. The other one said it is just a new rule and another said because my current passport is still valid so it's like a penalty for applying early. So I paid R1200.

The same day I app**** for my kid's passports and an ID for my 16 year old. Yesterday i got sms to come and pick up the passports.when I got there they had only 2 passports belonging to my kids and the first consultant said she couldn't find mine, the next one said there is a problem, it says hanging on the system and requires their supervisor to unhang and everything will be ok. Their supervisor came and showed me a computer screen written no application and said that I needed to show em proof of my receipts for when I paid. I did and he went on to say well there is no application done. They called in their manager who then said its not their fault its the system that they use, it delayed all December applications.so I showed h my daughter's passport which they had just given me and asked but how come my kid's passports are both back.

He proceeded to say that there is nothing he can do.i just need to reapply and wait 2 to 3 weeks.which I do not have since my overseas contract begins on the 17th of January 2024 and my flight is booked for 15 January 2024.