Highly Disappointing Marlboro Licensing Department Experience

If I could give a place no star - I would! So I've had to settle for 1 star rating (which they don't deserve anyway).

There's internal conflict happening between all of the local driving schools and the Marlboro Licensing Department to the point that driving schools are boycotting the department and no driving school will go in to do your test. I was at Marlboro before my lesson-time started and my rented truck vehicle from a driving school (that isn't of a local driving school) couldn't enter the Marlboro testing grounds because of the local driving schools that are on strike and threatening to use violence if any driving school vehicle attempts to enter the Marlboro testing grounds.

So immediately then I am a victim in this situation and am inhibited from doing my Code 10 driver's licence test. The employees in the enquiry/cashier offices genuinely sympathised my situation and willingly referred me upstairs to the manager of Marlboro Licensing Department - and she was completely hostile and uncooperative on her part. She eventually settled my interaction with her by stating that the testing ground isn't stopping anyone from testing and because of that - she doesn't feel merciful for the fact that I spent 3.5hrs queueing to book for this test two days prior, nor having spent R240 to book this test...just to be prevented from doing my test at the grounds & falling a victim because of this situation. She additionally says that I must request a refund from my driving school...which didn't reside well with me because:

1 - I paid for my driving license at the cashier office *OF* the Marlboro Licensing Department and not the driving school

2 - My driving school came from another part of JHB and actually wanted for me to do my test on the day as they weren't aware and weren't a part of this 'driving school boycott' to begin with

So for this manager to have dismissed me in the way that she did, when her employees working underneath her actually understood and showed some sympathy to this situation of mine as well as went as far as to suggest what I should possibly do next...was just highly atrocious to put it lightly. Yes - there's definitely unhappy dealings and blatant internal conflict between Marlboro Licensing Department and the driving schools locally (to which a Marlboro employee downstairs said to me that it's been ongoing for approximately two weeks). So why doesn't she and her department make a concerted effort to WARN customers of this existing dispute and the possibility that if a learner plans to test (using a rental/branded driving school truck vehicle and not their own) - that they may be denied that chance to test (even if learners have gone through the dismal service and mandatory protocol at this place of queuing and paying for their chance). And that rather these learners must be encouraged to go elsewhere like Randburg or Bedfordview instead of wasting precious time and money.

There's seriously no harm in that, I would have immediately understood and thanked an employee for mentioning that beforehand. But the manager was just too partial and impatient to have liaisoned and reasoned this possibility and mutual understanding at all with me. Instead, she asked me to step outside her office. Fantastic service and courtesy demonstrated in that interaction between myself and her - surprising moreover for the fact that I never once used vulgar words, raised my voice or was irrational about the situation entirely. So I was completely disappointed with this place and will never go back again.

Wasted money from Uber rides and paid bookings at this place are salvageable. But wasted time and frustration caused by their incompetence to address their issue, and their failure to put their customers' interest and satisfaction FIRST is just a huge insult to myself and the many other customers who have fallen a victim of this whole ordeal.