Getting an identity

Mom had established that the ID card was ready.

30 days, not 7 days later, thanks to the lack of fingerprints.

It has been a nightmare - no ID, pretty much means, you DON'T EXIST.

You cannot do / access ANYTHING !

Since I knew it was going to be a long day, I thought we should start with the much needed haircut.

She phoned at 8.00 when the salon opened.  After explaining the situation, Terry said she could come straight away.

We got in the car and by 8.30, Mom was having her hair cut.

She emerged just after 9, visibly happier.  Terry had cut her hair and "loved" her.................... yah for Terry !

We then proceeded to Brakpan to collect the ID. 

En route, many of the robots were NOT WORKING, suggesting a power failure. We arrived, I parked the car across the street from Home Affairs.  The blip is the view I had from the parking lot.

Mom proceeded inside...........

5 minutes later she was back.

The power was out. 



This  was day 1 of a situation  that would continue unabated for the whole of the week.  I think it is the executives at Eskom, sending the President a message - don't mess with us.  See what we can do !


Going back home was not an option, so we sat it out.

At around 10.30, the power came back on.  I sent her inside. 

She emerged at 12.50, visibly shaken.

She did have the document, but having waited for hours, to get to the front of the line. There had been an issue.

NOTE :  At least part of this waiting time, had involved standing outside in the queue, to get in the door.  She is 87 years old, they did not even provide a chair !

The problem ..... the women would NOT ISSUE IT, because there were no FINGERPRINTS.  A superior had to be called :  DRAMA ! DRAMA ! Aaaaaaaaarh !

What is wrong with these people ?   It is common for old people, not to have finger prints. Why do they not have systems in place to deal with this. 

Back to my taxi day.

From there, armed with the ID, we went to the mall, to set up the fixed deposit.

This was another drama that had played out, post hijacking.  Mom lives on money from these investments.  Unfortunately one such investment, had needed to be "renewed" the week after the hijacking.  With NO ID document, this was NOT POSSIBLE.  The money had sat in limbo, not generating income for 3 weeks. 



Fortunately, the banking only took an hour or so.

I dropped Mom off and then headed for my special Valentine's step class  - see the extra.   I had to remove a little hitch hiker, before I departed, he/she can also be seen in the extras.