Racial ************** - Alberton Post Office

Racial ************** at Alberton Post Office

On 06 June 2022, I assisted my mother, with obtaining a new SASSA card and was advised by the Germiston SASSA office to use the Alberton Post Office for this service. After following the long queues from 10:00 AM on 06 June 2022, we were only attended to at about 03:10 PM. During this time, I observed how the security guard was allowing some people to bypass the queue and get assistance inside. I later realised he was being paid for doing this. My mum and I were the only people of indian ethnicity and despite my mum's age of 75 years, she received no assistance for the elderly unlike others of a different race. It dawned on us that we were being racially discriminated at this branch.

Nevertheless, despite waiting in the queue for such a lengthy time, we got assisted about 03:10PM. The agent assisting us at this Post Office informed us that my mum's finger prints were not picking up on the system and that we needed to go to Home Affairs to obtain verification and return the next day to see her directly given that it was late in the afternoon.

I drove my mum to the nearest Home Affairs that afternoon but we arrived just as they were closing (Edenvale Office). Hence we only went to do the verification on 07 June 2022. This meant following queues at the Home Affairs and eventually we obtained a letter to explain why the system was not picking up her fingerprints. Albeit, we then proceeded to the Alberton Post office to be assisted as promised the previous day but was rudely greeted and instructed by the security personnel that we had to follow the long queue again. I then asked to speak to the manager of the branch who mentioned the same as the security and her reason was that we were supposed to return later on the 06 June 2022 from Home Affairs to have been assisted.

I tried reasoning with this manager about the logistics of how one could have gone to Home Affairs and returned with the letter on the same day given the closing times of respective departments. She refused to understand and then it became clear we were ill-treated due to our race. I am appalled at the service experienced at this branch and the ******* manner in which they undertake their sassa services. I want to enquire if such behaviour of the manager of Alberton Post Office is acceptable and is the norm of the South African Postal Services. I cannot believe that my 75 year old mother was treated so disrespectfully at this branch simply because of her skin colour.

Shame on you for your pathetic service!

Disappointed,