Unabridged Birth Certificates & Unabridged Marriage Certificate. The wait is UNBELIEVABLY LONG!

My wife and I have been waiting for our unabridged birth certificates and marriage certificate for a year and a half. After numerous emails and virtually calling once a week since January this year I get the same answer, "we are escalating it." Why is it taking soooo long? We were lucky enough, I guess, to finally receive our son and daughters' unabridged birth certificates after a year and 2 months of waiting. Originally we were told it would take 6 weeks!! The consultants are great but make no difference as all they can do is escalate. Where to and what the difference it makes, I'm not sure. The system is not working if those employees in archives (in Pretoria) are not on the ball.