News / National
Bulawayo residents concerned over failure to access IDs due to material shortage
02 Aug 2021 at 08:02hrs | Views
BULAWAYO residents have expressed their concerns over failure to access identity cards following reports of shortage of required materials to cater for the demand.
A Bulawayo resident, Robert Nkomo, said they had gone for two months waiting for the IDs to no avail at the Pumula registry centre .
"We came here early in the morning to get the identity cards but we were told that the printer is not working. The process is very slow and someone who works at Registry told me that I should give them US$20 so that he processes the card for me faster," said Nkomo.
"I cannot afford bribing someone for a basic right. I told them that I better wait for the eight weeks than parting with such money. This system is something else."
Another resident, Sithulisiwe Bhebhe said she was told that the office is only issuing 10 cards daily.
"I was the eleventh person and l was told that l cannot access the identity card. There is just too much confusion happening there," she said.
Ward 17 Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo responsible for Pumula South confirmed that the registry centre in her area is no longer serving residents as they were told that the printer was not working.
Moyo said it has taken more than a month for the printer to be fixed.
"Sometimes people are told that the machine is still in Harare and the other it's staff challenges," she said.
Deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube said failure to serve residents in their communities will congest the city centre and result in spreading of Covid-19.
"We are trying to contain the spread of Covid-19 as a city and it will be wiser if the registry manages to serve people in their suburbs. We cannot have people congesting in town just for identity cards," he said.
Meanwhile workers at the Mhlahlandlela Registry Offices in Bulawayo have urged authorities to shut down the block after one of their colleagues tested positive to COVID-19 last week as the workers continue not being tested.
One of the workers said the workers have not yet been tested and the offices remained open.
"Is very dangerous for them no to test workers. The place is still open and it should be closed. The problem is that they want to wait for human rights organisations to protest so that they can then close the offices," he said.
Registrar General Clemence Masango was not reachable for comment.
A Bulawayo resident, Robert Nkomo, said they had gone for two months waiting for the IDs to no avail at the Pumula registry centre .
"We came here early in the morning to get the identity cards but we were told that the printer is not working. The process is very slow and someone who works at Registry told me that I should give them US$20 so that he processes the card for me faster," said Nkomo.
"I cannot afford bribing someone for a basic right. I told them that I better wait for the eight weeks than parting with such money. This system is something else."
Another resident, Sithulisiwe Bhebhe said she was told that the office is only issuing 10 cards daily.
"I was the eleventh person and l was told that l cannot access the identity card. There is just too much confusion happening there," she said.
Ward 17 Councillor Sikhululekile Moyo responsible for Pumula South confirmed that the registry centre in her area is no longer serving residents as they were told that the printer was not working.
"Sometimes people are told that the machine is still in Harare and the other it's staff challenges," she said.
Deputy mayor Mlandu Ncube said failure to serve residents in their communities will congest the city centre and result in spreading of Covid-19.
"We are trying to contain the spread of Covid-19 as a city and it will be wiser if the registry manages to serve people in their suburbs. We cannot have people congesting in town just for identity cards," he said.
Meanwhile workers at the Mhlahlandlela Registry Offices in Bulawayo have urged authorities to shut down the block after one of their colleagues tested positive to COVID-19 last week as the workers continue not being tested.
One of the workers said the workers have not yet been tested and the offices remained open.
"Is very dangerous for them no to test workers. The place is still open and it should be closed. The problem is that they want to wait for human rights organisations to protest so that they can then close the offices," he said.
Registrar General Clemence Masango was not reachable for comment.
Source - Byo24news
