Maseru, Apr. 25 — Amidst mounting challenges within the government, particularly the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftainship, Home Affairs and Police, public frustration reaches new heights over the issuance of vital documents such as National Identity Cards (IDs), Passports, Birth and Death Certificates.
Citizens are voicing widespread concern, arguing that these crucial documents should not bear expiry dates. Many advocate for a system similarly to that of Tanzania, where IDs do not expire.
In interviews conducted with individuals seeking documentation, grievances were aired regarding the inefficiency of the current system.
Kabelo Mohlomi shared his ordeal, stating his passport expired last August, yet his renewal application submitted in December remains unresolved due to ongoing system failures.
Similarly, Relebohile Nkooatsane highlighted her struggles in obtaining a death certificate for her father’s burial, with system downtimes causing significant delays and financial hardships of not being able to access her father’s funeral policies as they require death certificates.
Both Mohlomi and Nkooatsane emphasised the urgency of addressing these issues, asserting that essential services like document issuance should be governmental priorities.
They expressed puzzlement over the government’s reliance on systems it seemingly lacks expertise in managing, citing the prolonged wait for technicians from South Africa (SA) to resolve issues.
In light of these challenges, citizens are calling for a reevaluation of document expiry policies, arguing that removing expiry dates would alleviate burdens on both the public and government.
As frustrations escalate, the government faces mounting pressure to address these concerns and implement reforms to streamline document issuance processes and restore public trust in essential services.
