Dept of Home Affairs Randburg

Service for collections was super slow. The lady at the counter just said I must follow her without explaining why she’s taking me to a separate room. When I get to the room I’m surrounded by police. With no knowledge of why I’m even brought to that room. I understand she’s doing her job but I am human and have the right to be told where I’m being taken too and what’s happening. This can’t be the service received at a government facility. She should have told me where she’s taking me and why she’s taking me there.

Super and very efficient. I went to amend my surname, change to my maiden surname. The lady with a bald head was very helpful. I would go there again for ID service and would highly recommend them. I appreciate you and God sees you.

You must make an appointment on the BABS booking system. They may not help you if you don’t as they are trying to phase in the appointments. I applied for Smart ID, arrived at 09:30 for a 10:00 appointment. You kind of queue outside of the main building, or if you’re lucky there’s also a line of chairs outside. Once it’s your time slot they call you inside and tick off your name on a list if you have a booking. Then you go to the first counter to state your business and get a number. Then you queue on chairs again and wait till they call your number for a picture biometrics, then another counter, then waiting again for payment. I paid by card but not all cards work! ID application was R140. They text you when it’s done. When you pick up, make sure you go to the middle building for collections not the top building, go down the slope. I think no need for an appointment for collection. Then you might queue outside again till they call you, then you register your picking up with ID number, they call your surname and you get the envelope, sign a book, give biométrica again, and presto ! Done. I applied 3 Feb Smart ID was ready for collection 20 Feb

There is a deep sadness that settles over you as a citizen of this country when you realise the deep levels of accepted incompetence. Every day crowds of people gather to reinforce the normalisation of a broken system. There are certain things that stand out while waiting in the que. The signage is in disrepair. The property is not being taken care of and there is a signifacant lack of staff in relation to the waiting time. The online system booking system creates disallusioned hope. The highest praise for this system would be that it is there in principle. It does however lead to the same pathetic outcome and you will end up in the same que as the person who did not book online, except that you wouod be three minutes to three hours worse off on your time. What makes this so very sad is that the system can be improved and without the need to spend a significant amount of money. There is little understanding here of theory of constraints and simple process steps would significantly reduce the waiting times. The average reviewer here is happy when they wait 2 hours on average. How is this acceptable when most of the process steps are non-value add and the process should take at most 5 -10 minutes per person?

I went to apply for my ID today after booking an 8:00 appointment on BABS. The system went offline THREE TIMES while I was there, meaning I was only done at 13:00 even though I arrived at 07:30. I would not recommend booking an appointment later than 11:00 because the backlog caused by the system going offline means you may not be helped that day. The IT technicians are outsourced and therefore are not on the premises, so the system may be offline anywhere from 10 minutes to hours. Even with an appointment, which guarantees you'll be helped first in order of your appointment times, you should still mentally prepare to be there for the entire day. Other than the system being offline, the workers were fast and helpful to people who were not rude, I fully recommend leaving your inner Karen at home or else your life will be made difficult. You don't need to bring a photo, as those are done inside and as much as I brought proof of address and an affidavit, they only asked for my passport to do my ID. A new ID costs R140 and they accept cash and cards although a card is recommended. The system being offline affects people who are collecting the ID/Passports too as you collect it using biometrics on the system. Side note: Make sure you DO NOT need the bathroom because they're utterly nightmarish. Goodluck fellow South Africans

An absolute embarrassment. Applied online on the BABS system, waited 4.5hrs to be able to apply for my passport. Some people might say that is amazing time. I then received an sms after 4 days to say that my passport was ready for collection, which is indeed amazing time. The collection of the passport was painful and I only managed to collect it on my third visit, as the system is always offline. On the first Friday collection visit I waited for 2 hours before being told the system was offline. I came back the following Monday and waited over an hour before being told that the system was still offline. People then started getting aggressive with the lazy Hell Affairs officials. On the third visit, the system was again offline. People were told "to be patient" and that we'll need to wait until the IT guy comes, which they had no idea how long it would take, possibly the whole day. I decided to wait it out and waited another 4 hours to finally collect my passport. During that time, a part of the system went down again and people weren't able to collect their ID documents. So after 4.5 hours application time and 7 hours spread over 3 visits, I now have my passport. I don't blame the Home Affairs officials for this embarrassingly poor service...I blame the people who voted for the current government which has destroyed our country.

Passport, Birth Certificate and Smart ID. Book online BABS. Booked for 8am, go to the Frontline, they give you a ticket number, wait, then you do photos, wait, then go to the counter when your ticket number is called, they capture your details, then wait, then your number is called to pay. Take cash and card. In at 8, out at 10. Passport is R 600, was fined a penalty for applying for my passport before the 6 months expiry date of R 600 and not told birth certificate application in another building is R 75, Smart ID is R 140. You do NOT need photos or a pen, they have a digital system in place. Staff are helpful, though no smiling. Place is small and clean. Toilets a bit dodgy but they work. If you do not book online you are wasting your own time and will stand outside in the rain/sun all day and may not get what you need. So THANKFUL the system was online and working today. Passport ready in 1 week, collection of passport easy and fast and then I was told the R 600 I was charged was a penalty and not for my birth certificate. Have to fill in a separate form for Birth Certifcate and then come back after 4 months for collection.

I've just left this home affairs, my appointment was at 09h00, its currently 09h10.....took me about 45 minutes from standing in the queue outside. Service was great The above was for my appointment on the Friday. I've just received an sms that my passport is ready for collection, its Wednesday. Its taken 3 days to get a passport. WELL DONE Home Affairs!!!!

Had an appointment for 9 am I arrived there around 8h30 and was told the system is offline, we waited in line for hours until they attended to us at 11h30 and now the appointment did not apply you only had to check your name if it was on the list for that day. We had to wait for an IT guy to set up the system, eventually I was helped by William which he gave the good service and while I was waiting there I saw as well Lerato had an excellent customer service.

We applied for a copy of our marriage certificate 2 and half years ago and we are still waiting. Each time you go there it is still not there.What has become of this Country that you cannot get these important documents. Shocking to say the least.