Mafeteng, July 08 — Long queues and delays in the processing of national identity documents at the Home Affairs office have left many applicants frustrated.
Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Mrs. Malimpho Teke said she and many other applicants have been waiting at the Home Affairs office since Tuesday morning to collect their identity documents after registering, but had still not received them.
She alleged that the growing frustration among applicants led to an angry crowd pushing into the office on Tuesday in an attempt to demand their IDs, with only a few people eventually receiving their documents.
Mrs. Teke said today she was surprised to see some individuals being allowed to enter the office ahead of those who had been waiting since the previous day and that leaving them with suspicions.
She said the delays are causing significant stress, as some applicants risked losing their jobs in South Africa if they failed to obtain their identity documents in time.
Meanwhile, Acting District Manager Mrs. Liako Mabathoana explained that the delays are mainly caused by printing machines becoming overloaded due to the high number of people seeking services. She said the heavy demand often causes the system to fail, resulting in slow service delivery.
Mrs. Mabathoana also noted that the situation is worsened by cases where Basotho women bring their foreign partners to Lesotho to apply for identity documents, increasing the number of applicants and placing additional pressure on the department’s resources.
In recent months, Home Affairs offices across Lesotho have experienced an increase in the number of people applying for identity documents, particularly those seeking employment opportunities in South Africa.
The growing demand has placed pressure on the department’s systems and equipment, resulting in long queues, service delays and complaints from members of the public.
ENDS/MMK/tl
