Dear Mr. Steenhuisen,

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint regarding the ongoing inefficiency and mismanagement within Home Affairs, which has resulted in an incredibly frustrating and costly ordeal for my family. Despite numerous phone calls and emails—including to Carli, Dr. Leon Schreiber’s office secretary—our issue remains unresolved.

The problem began when my son’s passport application was submitted online when he was 15. At the time, the system did not allow us to apply under his profile. By the time we could secure an appointment, he had turned 16, and we were informed that the application now had to be done under his own profile. This unforeseen complication has left us in a bureaucratic nightmare, as Home Affairs refuses to cancel the existing application so we can reapply correctly.

My son has a school trip coming up, and we now face the possibility of losing a significant amount of money due to this inefficiency. As a law-abiding, tax-paying citizen, I have always supported the DA and its call for change. However, my experience with Home Affairs under DA management has left me seriously reconsidering my vote. The system is clearly dysfunctional, and ordinary citizens like myself are left to suffer the consequences of an incompetent department that fails to serve the people.

Mr. Steenhuisen, before the DA aims to govern the entire country, it must first ensure that basic services under its management function effectively. If Home Affairs cannot efficiently process a simple passport application, how can we trust the DA to run a nation? I am left with no choice but to appeal to you directly for intervention. At this point, I am prepared to take this issue public if necessary, as countless South Africans are facing similar struggles.

I urge you to take immediate action to resolve this matter. We cannot allow our children’s dreams to be crushed because of government inefficiency. Please step in and help rectify this situation before it is too late.

I look forward to your prompt response.

Sincerely,
Melanie De Witte