FNB The Grove - Home Affairs - Passport not there after 7 1/2 months' wait

We app**** of passports and IDs online via Home Affairs website on the 4th of March. On the morning of 26th of March 2020 myself, my fiancé (the child’s father) and our daughter did our biometrics at the FNB Grove Mall.

In mid September all 3 of us went to the bank to collect our documents. At that point we only received notifications in August that only my fiancés ID and passport and my ID is ready for collection. Upon collecting my ID, I enquired about the status of my passport. At first the lady said the system said that it has not been received but when she looked through the lock box it was there. We queried our daughters’ passport and they stated that it is not yet there but should be soon.

On the 25th of September my daughter and I were again at the branch to follow- up with the passport and the official told me that the passport will be there in 1 – 2 weeks seeing as it has been dispatched a long time ago.

On the 9th of November, I went into the branch again to see if it is there. At first the official could not find the application on the system and after the supervisor looked through it, they found the application. While they were looking for the application, I explained that my fiancé and I have already received our documents despite having the biometrics done the same day. I was then patronizingly told the passport is not there, and I should wait for the SMS. I asked when will I get the SMS which they said they do not know. I queried if there is a way to follow- up or call someone because I was previously told that it would be there and that it has been dispatched such a long time ago is worrisome. For all I know is that the passport has been ****** and is being used for identity theft or worse. They showed me on their screen that the passport was dispatched in June and blamed Postnet for the delay. I asked them what must I do to get the passport and they refused to give me any paperwork or let me take a photo of the screen or give any tel. no. or references to be able to follow- up or escalate the matter. Their attitude was quite suspicious in the way that something must have gone wrong such as the passport is missing and do not want to explain it to me. I asked for the official for her name which she refused to give and just gave me the name Harold as her supervisor. Their attitude was of pure annoyance that I dared to be there to follow- up with the passport, irritation that I complained and complete disinterest in resolving the problem. If I wanted to be treated such a way with so much inconvenience, I would have app**** at the Home Affairs office itself and most likely received better treatment.

Also note I was told the beginning of September when we went to collect one Saturday, that the department is only open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 9-3pm, which means every time we had gone to collect, we needed to take leave from work.