You Need the Consent Form
On Monday, the 12th of November, I encountered my first experience with the government of South Africa. I feel like I could break this post into about 3(forms, mapbooks, ever changing street names) but I will refrain and try and shorten it for the readers experience.
During our research for opening up the pre-school here in South Africa we found that we needed to submit a "consent use form" to the government to use the land we have because it is zoned for agriculture. No problem right? Find the website, download the form and mail it in. I can do that. NO. Spend a few hours searching the web for a website that even has the words "consent" "use" or "form" on it lead me on a wild goose chase for a few hours. I surrendered to the fact that S'Africa's Internet offerings are at about 10% of the states. I emailed the lady who told us about this form and she emailed me back within minutes the website. Great I am on my way to conquering this feat. Not so fast. I called and called and called, multiple numbers - was sent from one person to the next to the next. Told I needed to call a phone number which didn't exist nor fit the format for a S'African number. I finally emailed the one email I could find on the website in hopes that at least we can read English if we don't understand each others accents. Within about 10 minutes I got a reply, but it was my email being forward to another man by the name of Kobus. Great - maybe Kobus will be just as quick to respond. Nope - still haven't heard from him and that was last week. I emailed the original email responder and asked for Kobus's phone number.
So now I have the phone number and I finally got someone to tell me what I needed to do and where I needed to go. 156 Loveday Street in Braamfontein. Easy enough - get out the 300+ page mapbook (not an atlas, a book). This book is a beast and your best friend. This book is just for my province - each page holds a small radius of Joburg on it and you turn from page to page when getting directions. It is hilarious. I map my route out - didn't even right it down - just did a visual and on my way. I was successful in finding the building with no wrong turns even though the streets I was supposed to turn on didn't exist (very common here). I walk in and head up to the correct office on the 8th floor.
Me: "Sorry, can you tell me where I can get a 'consent use form' for opening up a creche?" (You say 'sorry' here instead of 'excuse' or 'pardon me')
Lady: "On the table."
Me: Holding up the packet labeled "Roodeport: Consent Use Form"
Lady: "No the 'Consent' form".
Me: Holding up the packet labeled "Randburg: Consent Use Form"
Me: Standing there puzzled along with another gentleman looking for the same form. I turned around to see the lady holding 2 'Consent' forms for us. "Oh that form, well there are none like that on the table."
Lady: "I know, here you go".
Me: Thinking...are you kidding me, thanks for your help.
Headed back to the office and started to read through the packet. Calling all requests for prayer regarding this packet - if it took that much effort to retrieve the packet, I hate to see what it will take to get it approved.
During our research for opening up the pre-school here in South Africa we found that we needed to submit a "consent use form" to the government to use the land we have because it is zoned for agriculture. No problem right? Find the website, download the form and mail it in. I can do that. NO. Spend a few hours searching the web for a website that even has the words "consent" "use" or "form" on it lead me on a wild goose chase for a few hours. I surrendered to the fact that S'Africa's Internet offerings are at about 10% of the states. I emailed the lady who told us about this form and she emailed me back within minutes the website. Great I am on my way to conquering this feat. Not so fast. I called and called and called, multiple numbers - was sent from one person to the next to the next. Told I needed to call a phone number which didn't exist nor fit the format for a S'African number. I finally emailed the one email I could find on the website in hopes that at least we can read English if we don't understand each others accents. Within about 10 minutes I got a reply, but it was my email being forward to another man by the name of Kobus. Great - maybe Kobus will be just as quick to respond. Nope - still haven't heard from him and that was last week. I emailed the original email responder and asked for Kobus's phone number.
So now I have the phone number and I finally got someone to tell me what I needed to do and where I needed to go. 156 Loveday Street in Braamfontein. Easy enough - get out the 300+ page mapbook (not an atlas, a book). This book is a beast and your best friend. This book is just for my province - each page holds a small radius of Joburg on it and you turn from page to page when getting directions. It is hilarious. I map my route out - didn't even right it down - just did a visual and on my way. I was successful in finding the building with no wrong turns even though the streets I was supposed to turn on didn't exist (very common here). I walk in and head up to the correct office on the 8th floor.
Me: "Sorry, can you tell me where I can get a 'consent use form' for opening up a creche?" (You say 'sorry' here instead of 'excuse' or 'pardon me')
Lady: "On the table."
Me: Holding up the packet labeled "Roodeport: Consent Use Form"
Lady: "No the 'Consent' form".
Me: Holding up the packet labeled "Randburg: Consent Use Form"
Me: Standing there puzzled along with another gentleman looking for the same form. I turned around to see the lady holding 2 'Consent' forms for us. "Oh that form, well there are none like that on the table."
Lady: "I know, here you go".
Me: Thinking...are you kidding me, thanks for your help.
Headed back to the office and started to read through the packet. Calling all requests for prayer regarding this packet - if it took that much effort to retrieve the packet, I hate to see what it will take to get it approved.
This entry was posted
on 13 November 2007 at 11/13/2007.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
Oh my gosh..that is so crazy. Thank God for forms on the internet here. The crazy thing is, when I do try to call a government office and actually speak to someone, I feel like I always have a similar experience, going round and round in circles. Fortunately, it's easy to get directions to their office from google. ;)
» Post a Comment