A sad / funny story from home (Durban, South Africa)

Having been away for a few years now I enjoy the oddbits that family and friends send from South Africa. At times, I've used this blog to share stories from home. Sadly, they're mostly news of the worsening state of affairs in South Africa and Zimbabwe. I hope that the world cup brings only good tidings. This, on the other hand, could be construed as indicative of the worsening state of things in Durban or just as a comical tale. I enjoyed it for its humorous side but it is, I guess, pretty sad.

My aunt shared this story with me. I haven't bothered to edit her email as she's a good writer. Here is the story:

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Yesterday I went to the library and was waiting outside for my friend to pick me up and struck up a conversation with another lady doing the same. Most conversation is centered around World Cup at the moment. This lady told me a really funny story.

Her son has a small courier business in Durban and was lucky enough to be granted a contract to do deliveries to and from the airport of any documentation pertaining to the World Cup. As he is a one-man business his godmother offered to do the driving for him and for this she needed a special permit. So she went down to her local Police Station to fill in the necessary forms. She was told that it would take +/- 2 weeks to process. She went back 3 weeks later and when she walked in there was just one lady cop behind the desk talking to another male who, she presumed, was also a cop although in plain clothes. The lady cop did not move off her chair but told the woman that it would still be another 2-3 weeks before she could collect her permit! (2 weeks now becomes 6!.) The woman decided not to make waves and to come back again in 3 weeks time. After the 3 weeks she again went to the Police Station - this time there was nobody behind the desk so she took a walk down the passage and found a cleaner in one of the offices - she recognised this cleaner as the guy who she thought was a plain clothes cop! The conversation between them went something like this:

"Ah madam, you back again?"
"Don't I recognise you?" says the woman.
"Yes madam, but you know, the people in this office are so bloody stupid!" and with that he walks over to a filing cabinet and takes out a whole sheaf of papers.
"Just look through these papers, madam, and see if you can find yours."
She does this and lo! and behold, her permit is there! The cleaner then takes it from her, walks round to the desk, opens one of the drawers and takes out the official stamp, stamps and signs the document and hands it back to her!!
"I told you madam, these people are too bloody stupid and lazy. I can do their job better than them. The only reason I can't do it officially is because I did not pass matric!"
"Won't you get into trouble for doing this?" says the woman.
"Who is going to know?" says the cleaner "and now you have your permit!"
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I don't want to judge anyone, yet alone a police officer, and even more so a South African police officer, knowing what they have to deal with on a daily basis but... when the cleaner is undermining the authority of the police officers like this, you have start asking questions. Personally, I find this tale funny because I don't find it at all surprising. For a South African, this is a typical story, and I guess that's what makes it sad.

I just hope that the successes of the world cup aren't coupled by stories like these. More so, I ask any foreigners that may be visiting my beautiful country for the world cup tournament to go prepared, be vigilant, take care and don't be a victim. I don't want to read anymore sad stories!