Today I hoped for a short queue then a triumphant exit clutching my new licence. Well, firstly, when you are on the Langlaagte side of town, don't expect to find too many ATM machines that work. Secondly, remembering where the right turn off saves you from heading into the Joburg CBD and getting really confused with life.
When I did get there I was told by a helpful uniformed official I have seen before, that 'window number three' was the place to go, and mercifully it was a very short line. However, that window is simply to announce your request. 'Please could I collect my temporary driver's licence?' ... not a word was spoken but the lady disappears momentarily, reappearing with a brown folder. It has my forms in it. 'Do you have money?' she asks. '143 Rands' she adds. Yes I did and reach into my pocket - but she stops me and says 'join that queue' pointing at the really long one I was rejoicing to have not had to stand in.
So, a couple of 30 minute podcasts later I finally reach the window of a one handed teller. He used one hand for everything, even though as far as I could tell his other one worked just as well. I wondered if twice as many people could have been served an hour if he had used twice as many hands. Turned out, how strangely, that I am just one photo short in my file. I had of course provided the correct number of photos six weeks ago, but 'fortunately for me' there was a place just by the gate that would instantly deliver me two photos for just ten Rands. And please come right back to the front of the queue, no need to start again ...
Ah, democracy, don't you just love it!
The photographer was amongst perhaps twenty of thirty camera-yielding fellas all looking for business. He occupied an unused sentry box. He had a nice digital camera and high-speed photo printer with software for printing passport sized pics two at a time in the required black and white. Except it was fifteen rands ... the ten rand ones were across the main road, and I had been there done that with the Nigerians last time. So I contributed to the expanding informal economy.
You might be interested in the fact that my photographer told me he paid R25,000 for the camera, printer and software. I thought that was pretty pricey for what he does, but he said he paid for it in a single month of business! He also told me he pays R3000 rent for his little sentry box, no bigger than a phone booth, to the security supervisor of the depot, not to the Municipality who own it! Now there is some creative bookkeeping. Given the number of photographers hovering around, I guess the 'landlord' expands his pay packet quite nicely every month. I decided against a photo of him on my phone.
The name Langlaagte has a rich history in Johannesburg, being a farm on which gold was found in the late 1880's. I did walk out with a temporary driver's licence. Stage three in about six weeks from now. The picture with this post is of Langlaate Farm in about 1886.
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