I’m one of the recipients of maintenance via the Roodepoort Court.
The father of my children was paid on 13 October as he works for the government. Usually the court prides itself in its 72-hours turnaround time.
On Thursday, 19 October, I decided to pay the court a visit as no funds were reflecting in my account. I was told a cock and a bull story of how it wasn’t captured but I should expect payment by Saturday, 21 October.
On Tuesday 24 October, I called them as there were no funds and was told the system was down. On 25 October I personally went to the court. I was told by an employee that I have an attitude for asking why the Government doesn’t have a plan B since it’s obvious that they are dismally failing at effecting payments and that their staff maybe haven’t been properly schooled on the Government’s Batho Pele principle.
I asked simple, pertinent questions. Since it’s obvious that Government is failing, why did it change payments from local courts to National? To avoid fraud, I was told. If government wants to avoid fraud, it’s simple. Anyone caught paying themselves in kind is to be fired. It’s no brain teaser.
Several years ago, I did not receive the December maintenance money for my children because National Office employees went on leave. I only received it after 10 January.
My children are being abused by the same system meant to be helping them. When this happens, where do we report the system?
Some of the employees at Roodepoort Court are rude, obnoxious and look down on people. I wasn’t asking you to take money out of your accounts for my children’s maintenance. Just do your damn job. You lied to the employer when you said you could do it. If you feel it’s too much for you, I have a suggestion for you – resign.
I asked the Court Manager why they don’t have a system to alert recipients, such as by SMS or over the local radio or in the media. She told me that the Government, (which was earning interest on my children’s maintenance) didn’t have money.
How can the Government not have money when they are collecting direct and indirect taxes from South African residents?
Stop fixing what isn’t broken. Let the courts make payments into recipients’ accounts like they used to. This National payment is an unnecessary duplication of the process, which is useless.
Services have deteriorated in most Government institutions. Employees tell us, “I’ve been here for 20 years. What are you going to do to me?”. Maybe it’s about time certain services are given to the private sector, as Government has no clue.
