Dear Portfolio Committee on Home Affairs,
Thank you for the opportunity to write to you.

I have always felt a sense of pride being a government employee, you know... Batho Pele principles and the people's right to quality service. Making clients smile, bringing great service to the disadvantaged. That is, until today. Today I felt ashamed. I literally felt like crying. I visited home affairs Somerset West branch. And it was a stressful, unpleasant experience. The only person that communicates, is the security guard. (Who appears to be working for an outsourced company). The staff members do not greet. They do not provide any information. There's no order. You don't know what to do. And no one tells you. They give one-word instructions like one would speak to an animal. "Come". Then : "Sit" then :"Go". Worse than a dog. They treat you worse than a dog. There's no respect for human dignity. The toilet was in a bad state. They're understaffed yes. They're under pressure, yes. The system has multiple issues, skipping numbers, rebooting after loadshedding. And for all these things I have great sympathy. However, there is no courtesy. No client service. No information. No communication
No "Good afternoon". No "Please have a seat." Bottom line: No Batho Pele.
My children had to experience this kind of service in a government facility. This, after I always tell them how hard we work, how we try and do everything efficiently and we do things with love. Grownups can make sense of rudeness and unfriendliness but children can't.