Sub-Sub-Standard Department of Home Affairs Services

In 2015 my late wife passed away, Three years later I app**** through the Home Affairs Vereeniging branch to remarry to a foreign national from Botswana but was refused as I was still listed as being married to my first wife. After several trips to the Vereeniging branch (each time with additional supporting documentation) I finally received, after almost 6 months, a "Letter of no Impediment" stating that I was widowed. My wife to be was so upset by the arrogance and obvious xenophobia exhibited by some of the staff at the Vereeniging Home Affairs branch that she refused to be married by them and insted we had our wedding in Botswana on 20-12-2018. Early in 2019 she app**** for a spousal visa so that she could be with me in South Africa but her application was refused as the SA Department of Home Affairs still had me listed as being widowed and would not recognise the marriage until we had provided all of the documentation. I then submitted the necessary documentation which included certified copies of our marriage certificate, my ID and my wife's passport. As I was working in Evander at the time this was done at the Secunda branch of the Department of Home Affairs. I did not receive a reply for several weeks so I wrote to the Home Affairs head Office in Pretoria and on 06-11-2019 I received an email from Sewela Motsepe apologising for the lat reply but stating that they had only received the documents on 25-10-2019. She gave me a reference number (1***) and told me to follow up in two weeks time. I sent follow up emails on 29-11-2019, 08-01-2019 and 22-02-2020 and on 28-02-2020 I received an email from a Mr. S. Padiachy again apologising for the delay and requesting me to resubmit my documentation and he also gave me a reference number of 2***. This I did on 12-03-2020 but so far my follow up emails on 26-05-2020, 24-07-2020 and 11-08-2020 have not elicited any response. Phone calls to their contact numbers *** and *** are put on hold for more than 45 minutes at at time without answer and I have to give up because of other business. The self help option where you enter your ID number does not work and you are redirected to "the next available operator" and again put on hold. My wife and I have now been separated for 21 weeks due to Covid-19 and are desperately trying to get together again but until my marriage status has been changed she is not allowed to apply for a Relatives Visa and which would allow her to travel from Botswana to South Africa to be reunited with me. Can someone please explain a) why this is taking so long, b) why does nobody answer the phones and c) why is the self help function not working? Also, to whom can I complain to in the Department of Home Affairs who has the authority to take action and have this matter resolved? Regards, Gordon Armstrong ***