Home Affairs inefficiency and Incompetence

On 23 April 2025 my wife and I went to The Pavilion, KZN home Affairs to get our biometrics, photo done for passports and my wife's Smart ID as we had completed the application online. This was done and we moved to the cashier to pay which was done on two separate payments but with the same debit card. All seemed well and after we left my wife received two SMSs and emails acknowledging her application which I did not receive for myself. I waited a few days in case the notifications were delayed only to receive an email on 26 April stating my application was on hold waiting for payment and I had 45 days to pay. Of cause, I was not amused and tried to phone the contact number provided on the email which, not surprisingly, is impossible to get through on. I then emailed Home Affairs on the "Contact Us" email address and also not surprisingly to date there has been no acknowledgment of the emailed never mind no response. On 7 May 2025 I drove back to the Pavilion Office and reported what had happened, and was told they would email Head Office and I must check with them again in two weeks time. When discussing this with the same cashier, we were told my wife's application was "lucky" to have been accepted, really; hit and miss ? When we initially went in for biometrics and photos, the lady doing these functions was on a video call to a friend while attending to us and when we went to the cashier to pay, she had her cell phone propped up in front of her watching a TikTok type video while processing our payments; great customer interface and no wonder things go wrong ? I saw recently on the news, the minister over Home Affairs making promises of addressing inefficiencies and service; what a joke, there seems nothing like any effort being app**** to this department of government service. Incompetence and "no care" attitude is still very much alive !! and worst still the public have no way of holding these departments accountable because the rot is at the top !