Most Unhelpful Beaurocracy

<p>On Thursday 13 April 2017, my wife and I were destined to travel to Iceland for 17 days, I discovered my passport was missing. After searching everywhere I proceeded to DHA Umgeni Rd branch in Durban. Explaning my dire situation, a rude Indian Lady at the passport section told me she can't help and I have to apply for a new passport on Tuesday after the long weekend.</p> <p>Because all our flight and accommodation was prepaid, my wife left on Thursday night hoping that I could sort out my passport and join her for the last week of our planned trip. I checked DHA's website and saw they were open on Saturady 15 April. I selected Tongaat branch after my bad experience in Durban. I stood in a queque from 6am and finally got help at 11.00am. The people were very nice and marked my application as priority. They told me I could have my passport in 3 days. </p> <p>Needing a Schengen Visa to be replaced by the Danish Embassy in Pretoria, I wanted to collect my passport in Pretoria to save precious time. I have made contact with the DHA call centre on numerous occasions just to be told it is not possible and my passport will have to be collected in Tongaat. My passport has been ready since Thursday morning 20 April, waiting to be despatched to Tongaat. I pleaded with them to send it by courier on Thursday, to no avail. In desperation, I contacted Derek Naidoo, manager at Tongaat at 3.30pm only to be told he had left the office and I can call him in the morning. I called the call centre at about 08.15 this morning (Friday 21st) just to be told I might get my passport by Tuesday 25th. The call center employees are just like robots and not willing to help at all! These people don't care that my wife is alone in a starnge country trying to find her way in snow storms in a rented car and getting lost for hours at a time.</p> <p>I have friends that simply app**** for passports with no urgency who got it within 5 days! If that can be done why can't they help me in my dire situation? Our government employess are like our President, they only look out for themsleves!</p>